The Extraordinary Adventures of Baily Hart
by milify-star
Summary: Baily Hart has been living with her Uncle, Governor Swann, for four years and likes her life the way it is. But lately she's been getting a feeling that everything is about to change. Follows the movies for the most part, starting with COTB. Jack/OC
1. Prologue

**My first and last Disclaimer: I did not create Pirates of the Caribbean in any way besides being a fan. **If you've read my previous, non-edited version of this story, you might as well just read this again because it is not at all the same and I hope that it's so much better.****

Four years ago I came to live with Mr. Swann and Lizzie on Port Royal in the Governor's mansion. It's been fun, and Mr. Swann treats me like his own daughter. I get to wake up and not worry about anything except slipping into a corset and hopefully finding a suitable husband. It may sound boring, but there is nothing that I want more than for everything to stay the same.

However, lately I have been getting a feeling that everything is about to change.


	2. Sir John Dawson

John Dawson. I could love John Dawson. Did I? Not necessarily… it's debatable. But I could.

"He's so funny." I babbled as I sat in the blacksmith's mill with Will. William Turner was a good friend of mine. He was one of the first people I met when I first arrived. Will had been delivering a sword to Mr. Swann at the time. I wasn't really aloud to just run off and come down to the mill, but if I took the back way through the trees and paid Mrs. Daphne the baker for a large quantity of pastries to give to passing children as a hush payment on my way back, nobody said a word.

"I don't think I've ever seen you excited about a suitor before." Will sat, taking a break from crafting swords.

"He wasn't a suitor; he was just visiting." I reminded him.

**Flashback**

"_I think you're cheating." I looked over my hand of cards to give Lizzie a suspicious look. _

"_I think you're just no good." She laughed and placed another card on table._

"_Well you taught me so whose fault is that?" I laughed along with her. We sat on the floor of the drawing room, playing cards as we awaited our guests. _

"_Miss. Hart, are you suggesting that I taught you wrong on purpose in order to win?" She raised an eyebrow at me._

"_I'm not suggesting; I'm accusing." _

"_Ladies," A voice interrupted from the doorway. Charles stood promptly with his hands behind his back. "M'Lord requests both of your presences to greet the guests." We stood immediately, abandoning our cards and heading downstairs to the parlor. There stood Mr. Swann and three men. _

"_Ah yes, here they are." Mr. Swann beamed when he saw us. "These are my lovely girls, Elizabeth, my daughter, and her cousin, my niece, Baily Hart." He motioned to each of us and we curtsied. "Girls, may I present Lord Dawson," He motioned to the oldest of the three men. He had greying hair and kind yet stern eyes. He bowed shortly. "And his sons Sir Luke Dawson," He motioned to a tall, blonde young man who also bowed, "and Sir John Dawson." He finally motioned to a brunette young man who also bowed. Gossip did not disappoint, they were both very attractive. Sir John Dawson, however, was stealing my eye instantly._

"_Might we talk business before dinner?" Mr. Swann asked Lord Dawson._

"_I'll agree to that. Boys," He looked turned to them, "You'll be gentlemen to these ladies won't you?"_

"_Yes, we'll do our best to entertain them as well." Sir John nodded, smiling at me, and I returned it. He was charming too._

"_I'm sure you'll do just fine." Elizabeth smiled politely and led us back the drawing room while the Lord and Governor retreated to the study. She had eyes for Will Turner and James Norrington, a Lieutenant in the King's Navy, had eyes for her. She wasn't in need of a husband, she already had her selection._

"_Were you in the middle of a card game?" Sir Luke asked as he walked in and observed the abandoned cards._

"_Yes, and I was winning." Elizabeth smiled smugly at me. _

"_She calls it victory, I call it a scandal." I told Sir John whose eyes had not stopped lingering since we first met. _

"_Is there an indiscretion amongst the players?" He looked between us. _

"_She's bitter that she's no good." Elizabeth brushed it off. _

"_Is she fairly no good?" Luke sat on a chair and picked up my cards then looked at the ones on the table. "I would say so." He looked back at me with a shrug. "You are no good." _

"_Oh no there goes my chances of prospering in life." I chuckled and had a seat. _

"_A tragedy really." He commented. Sir John took it upon himself to sit next to me._

"_Might I have a chance against the victor?" Sir Luke motioned for Lizzie to sit and they began the game again. _

"_Keep a cautious eye on her sleeves Sir Dawson." I warned him then looked to Sir John. "But you're both Sir Dawson, how will I tell you apart?" _

"_Well, my father is Lord Dawson, a completely different title. As for the two of us, I believe first names are a necessity." Sir John smiled then held out his hand. "John." _

"_Not Sir John?" _

"_No, not for such a lovely lady as yourself, Miss. Hart."_

"_Baily" I held out my hand and he took it, gently brought it to his lips, never breaking eye contact. His eyes were amazingly blue. _

"_A pleasure." _

_We talked about everything, completely forgetting about the other two in the room. John was the lawyer. He was smart and educated all the way through university. He worked for the courts in London though, and I wouldn't be seeing him so frequently. I tried to keep that in mind but he was also very, very charming._

"_Do you enjoy being a lawyer?" I asked him. _

"_I do, immensely." He nodded. "I enjoy fighting for justice, for the law, for what is right."_

"_I suppose you enjoy arguing as well?" I took a sip of tea as he gave me a surprised look._

"_Why do you imagine that I enjoy arguing?" He asked me._

"_All lawyers enjoy arguing." I shrugged. _

"_Not all lawyers." He defended._

"_Most lawyers then?" _

"_I wouldn't say they enjoy it as a sport." He shook his head defiantly. "In fact, I would say that is an unfair assumption that," He paused when he noticed I was giggling behind my hand. "What?"_

"_You're doing it now." I laughed, causing him to turn red._

"_Excuse me," Charles came in, "Dinner is served." We all stood. _

"_She's on to you, John." Luke snickered as he passed. _

"_Oh no." Lizzie joined in and they exited. I put a hand on John's arm as he turned to leave. He looked down at me expectantly._

"_If it's any consolation, I find that quality absolutely delightful." I gave him a smile and he returned it._

"_Not many do, especially not my father as I search for a bride." _

"_Well, I'm not like many people, and I'm certainly not your father." _

"_An attribute that I am certainly happy about." We shared a laughed before heading to dinner. _

_The Dawson's were to stay for a total of five days. They were to meet the people of Port Royal, attend parties, and have good time. I didn't expect to see much of the family after our dinner, but on the fifth day, I was sitting by the window, reading, when Charles announced a visitor._

"_Sir John Dawson for you, Miss. Hart." He bowed before and letting John in the room and leaving, closing the door behind him. I closed my book and stood, still surprised._

"_What are you reading?" He spoke first._

"_Alexander Pope." I sat the book down, "I enjoy the satire."_

"_Yes, though I enjoy Jonathan Swift." _

"_Oh?" _

"_Yes." He nodded then cleared his throat nervously. "I see you aren't with Elizabeth."_

"_She's in the garden I believe. I can take you there." I started for the door._

"_No!" He stopped me abruptly. "No, um, I want you." He turned bright red in an instant. "I mean, I am here for you. I wanted to ask if I may write to you." He put his hands behind his back and awaited an answer. I walked over and reached up, kissing his cheek. _

"_I would be honored."_

**Present**

"Right, right." Will nodded. I told him the whole story since I had begun getting letters. I sighed at his distracted demeanor. That meant he was thinking about one person.

"Why don't you just propose to her?" I placed my chin in my hand. His head snapped towards me in shock.

"What? Why would you think that," He saw my knowing look and stopped himself, "Because marrying below her status would make a mockery of her family."

"But she fancies you." I felt bad for both of them. They were meant for each other, but neither was going to admit it, and even if they did, no one would support it.

"Do you think so?" He looked at me with hope.

"Yes, I know it. But it's not enough to just know." I reminded him, making him sigh and forget about his work all together.

"Enough of this, how about a lesson?" Will stood. He was always trying to teach me how to sword fight. I think he just wanted a partner.

"Last time you nearly killed me." I prompted him. I was barely strong enough to pick up a sword when he first suggested I try it years ago, now I'm working on different tricks and skills.

"Last time you got distracted." He pulled me up and pushed me to the back room where I changed out of my dress and into 'play clothes'.

"Fine."

-POTC-

"Good!" Will praised my efforts as I took one last swing at him. I was panting and sweating and it felt like I was dying. I dropped the sword and fell back on some bags of sand. Will came over and looked down at me. "You did really well today. You even used one hand."

"Thank you for the praise." I looked at the window to see it was close to sundown. "I should get going." He helped me up then pulled me into a hug.

"Thank you." He squeezed me once more before letting me go.

"You're my friend Will, you don't have to thank me."

"Yes I do." He gave me a smile and went to wipe off as I went to put on my dress.

-POTC-

I sat silently through dinner, smiling and laughing when needed. Hamish was dining with us that night like he did once or twice a month. Hamish was the head of Mr. Swann's political counsel. He was very uptight and no nonsense. I almost admired him, but mostly I was put on edge by him.

"Enough business," Hamish stopped their conversation from going into great detail and looked between Elizabeth and I, "I want to hear about the two loveliest girls in Port Royal." He looked to Elizabeth first, as always. Hamish had instructed that Elizabeth was to always come first, and I was not to say a word about it. Hamish fixed the situation so I could stay with the Swann's without causing a scandal. We followed everything he said. He thought it would look good to have the image of the Governor being caring and willing to take in the destitute and needy, as long as I was family… as long as I did nothing wrong.

"Well, I'm learning piano. I was inspired by Wolfgang Mozart." Lizzie told me to keep the conversation on hobbies, and sometimes add girly comments on politics if I feel the need to talk.

"Is that right? I admire his work." Hamish nodded.

"As do I. What about you Baily?" Lizzie looked to me. She didn't fully know everything I was told to do and not do. I figured the less she knows, the less she objects. Hamish looked to me.

"I prefer Beethoven." I wasn't one to just go along with things, though it would make things much easier if I was.

"Why's that?" Hamish took another bite of his food and awaited my answer. I hated that everything felt like a trial.

"Mozart is a prodigy and his work is flawless, but I feel Beethoven has more heart."

"But why choose heart over perfection?" Hamish looked at me confused.

"It's good to struggle, it makes it sound more human." I smiled softly and looked to Lizzie who gave me and encouraging smile. She knew Hamish unnerved me.

"I have to agree with you there, Baily." Mr. Swann spoke up, lessening the tense feeling I was getting. "I do enjoy my fair share of Mozart, but Beethoven always rescues me in times of need." He gave me a warm smile. He always acted as my father, no matter what.

"I have never thought of this perspective." Hamish thought for a moment before changing the subject. "Anything else interesting?"

"Baily seems to have found an eligible lawyer that she enjoys." Mr. Swann beamed at me and I blushed.

"Really?" Hamish sat up straighter.

"Yes, Sir John Dawson."

"Of London?" Hamish looked surprised as he looked at me.

"Yes, of London." I gave him a smile.

"Excellent." He gave me a forced smile and we all returned to our dinner. When it was over, we all walked Hamish to the door.

"Until tomorrow, Hamish." Mr. Swann shook his hand.

"Yes, sir." Hamish then turned to Lizzie and gave her a warm hug. "I want to hear that piano soon."

"I'll try to perfect it." Lizzie smiled. Hamish turned to me and engulfed me in a hug.

"Remember my words." He told me in a low voice before leaning back. "I hope all goes well with Sir Dawson."

"Thank you." I gave him a smile and watched him leave. Hamish didn't alarm me because he kept such a strict hold on us, but because Hamish Hamilton was the only person outside of this household who knew the truth about me.


	3. Prophetic

**March 22, 1783**

"Why do I need a corset?" I let out a strangled gasp as Molly gave it one last hearty tug at the strings.

"Because it makes the dress fit better." Maria explained, patting my cheek. Maria was Spanish and she came over to England with Lizzie after Mr. Swann got elected for governor. She told me she was had a husband but he drank himself stupid, and a daughter who married off and left. She was a maid but she felt like my mother. Ever since I had come to live with Lizzie and Mr. Swann almost four years ago, she had taken care of me. We were close; she loved me. Or she made me feel loved, either way.

"It's a wonderful dress today, Baily." Molly beamed as she walked over to retrieve it from the bed. Molly was a maid as well. She followed under Maria closely and she was always optimistic. Molly was English and new at being a maid in the governor's household. She came around the time I did.

"Green, for your eyes." Maria smiled at me and they helped me put it on. I looked in the mirror and smiled. It did bring out my eyes.

"I like it." I turned around to see the back of it.

"Now your hair." Maria made me sit.

"Is something happening today?" I didn't usually do much to my hair except get it pinned half up. I loved my hair and liked it down. It was brown like mahogany and went past my shoulders, almost to my elbows. Maria began to brush my hair as as Molly held the pins.

"Remember, Captain Norrington is coming for breakfast."

"Oh yes, Lizzie will be so pleased." I snickered. Lizzie did not want to marry James, no matter how nice he was.

"He's going to become the Commodore soon. He'll be making his proposal soon. He's no Will Turner though." Molly gave me a look. I loved Molly, she knew everything.

"Hold your tongue Molly." Maria warned as she began to pin it up. "Put on the curler." The curler was a rod Maria sat over a lantern to get hot enough to wrap my hair around and make ringlets.

"It's fine Maria. How soon?" I asked Molly. It wasn't really any kind of secret that I was in the market to get married. I was twenty three years old and of high society, I should have a child by now. If Lizzie got married, I'd need to be too as soon as possible.

"Very, Miss." Molly went on. "You better get a move on."

"Maybe you could find something that lawyer, hm?" Maria nudged me and I winced while she slid in another pin. She wanted me to love the man I was going to marry. I did too, but Mr. Swann was in the market for the highest bidder, I supposed. I had gotten offers already from men twice, three times my age even, and I begged Mr. Swann to hold off until I found someone I liked. I could feel his easygoingness fading on the subject.

"Yes, maybe," I saw Molly bringing over the curler, "If I survive my hair styling then maybe."

-POTC-

"Captain Norrington." Charles announced and we all stood. James was joining us for breakfast because he had news to share, no doubt about the promotion, and he wanted to spend more time with Lizzie. He came in with two handfuls of flowers.

"Good morning, James!" Mr. Swann greeted him first. There was no one Mr. Swann loved for Lizzie more than James. James nodded to him.

"Good morning, sir." He then turned to me and held out a bouquet of flowers to me. "Baily, lovely flowers for a lovely lady." For some reason, James always complemented me. I think he believes complementing me will get him in Lizzie's favor.

"Thank you Mr. Norrington." I smiled and curtsied slightly then watched as he went to Lizzie.

"Elizabeth, it is nice to see you look as divine as ever this morning." He handed her the flowers that were respectively nicer than mine. She took them with a smile.

"Thank you, Captain. I adore them." She dodged the compliment nicely. Charles took the flowers as we took a seat around the table, and then brought them back out in a vase to use as the centerpiece. We chatted a little until the food was served. We had nearly finished when Mr. Swann brought up the reason for the visit.

"You have some exciting news to share, don't you James?" He asked. James cleared his throat and set down his fork.

"Indeed I do." He looked at us all before continuing. "I have been promoted. In just a month, I will be Commodore Norrington."

"That's amazing! Congratulations!" Lizzie praised him.

"Commodore Norrington," I noted how it felt to say. It sounded so… prophetic. "How nice, congratulations, you deserve it."

"It's not every day one has such support. Thank you all." He looked especially at Lizzie.

"Good things coming to those who deserve them should get nothing but support." Lizzie smiled politely. Mr. Swann nodded.

"Well said."

-POTC-

Lizzie laughed as she pulled me along in the gardens. When the weather was nice, we would go and run around like children.

"Come on Baily!" She pulled me until we found a tree.

"Let's sit." I was out of breath so I pulled her down in the shade. "How is Will?" I asked when we had settled. She sighed.

"I can hardly get him to call me by my first name, much less come visit me. He talks to you. Why does he talk to you?" She practically whined.

"Because he doesn't love me, he loves you. If he loved me, he'd be calling me Miss. Hart and never speaking to me as well." I leaned against the tree.

"Yes well, if he doesn't hurry, I'll be engaged to James. It's not that he isn't a good man, he is. I just don't love him, and if he asks for my hand, I'm not in a position to say no. What about John?" She changed the subject to me.

"We write still. He's trying to find some time to come visit, but the colonies are creating their own government now and it's occupying his time with research."

"Do you think he'll propose?" She asked hopefully.

"I don't know. Lord Dawson has the final say in it all." I shrugged. We both sighed then relaxed in silence. "Lizzie?"

"Hm?" She didn't turn her face away from the sun that seeped through the branches.

"Do you ever get the feeling that something is going to happen?" I asked her.

"Sure, why?" She turned to look at me.

"Lately I've been having that feeling."

"So have I." She sat up straight.

"Really?"

"Yes, I've been having dreams as well."

"What about?" I know she always claimed that she never dreamed so it must have been serious.

"It's the day Will and I met. What do you think that means?" She asked me eagerly but I had no thoughts.

"I don't know; maybe there's something in our food." I joked lightly.

"Oh yes, the cooks are conspiring against us." She joined in, relaxing a bit.

"Definitely."

-POTC-

The weeks leading up to James's ceremony were full of talk. I could practically feel the port vibrating with chatter. Even Will was in on it.

"It's going to be spectacular, gold in the handle and everything." He pounded excitedly on a piece of hot steel. He had been going on about this sword for the past fifteen minutes.

"I'm glad you're so passionate about your work, Will. I wouldn't be able to stand it if you weren't." It was the only reason I put up with sword talk at all.

"Thank you." He nodded. I sat for a moment before having to ask what I came there for.

"Will," I started and he turned away from his sword, "Has anything strange been happening to you?"

"Like what?" He asked but I could tell he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Like strange dreams or feelings." I offered cautiously.

"Yes!" He put the sword back in the fire and came to sit across from me. "For a couple of weeks now, my thoughts have been drifting to when my mother told me about my father."

"I've been having this strange feeling that something big is going to happen, and Lizzie,"

"Elizabeth?" He interrupted me in interest.

"Yes, she's having dreams." I sat back in my chair. "How curious."

"What does it mean?" He asked me, just as confused.

"I don't know."

-POTC-

"I think it's gorgeous." I looked down at a dress from London that Mr. Swann was probably going to give to Lizzie. It was the day of James's coronation and I was still in my nightgown as I looked down at the box.

"I'm glad you like it, because it's yours." Mr. Swann was too eager to tell me. My eyes widened in surprise and excitement regardless.

"Really?!" I picked the dress up from the box. It was a nice blue color with half quarter sleeves that ruffled out.

"Yes, my dear." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "You're worth as much, more so really."

"Thank you." I kissed his cheek before he left.

"You'll look wonderful Miss." Molly smiled at me as she and Maria started to undress me.

"Why are we up so early?" I asked. I knew we had a few hours to spare.

"The Commodore's coronation begins at ten o'clock, the Governor and his family must arrive early to greet the masses." Maria explained as she pulled a shift over my head.

"You have to appear to everyone with a smile on your face. The Governor is the Commodore's biggest supporter. He expects big things out of him." Molly informed me before pulling on my corset. "You'll have to be careful with this one, Miss. It looks like trouble." She warned before she began pulling and she was right.

"I can't breathe." I wheezed as they tied it off.

"Try, dear." Maria took in a deep breath to demonstrate. I followed her lead but it only helped a little. After a moment, Maria shook her head. "Loosen it. I would not risk your health for all the dresses in London." She patted my cheeks.

"Thank you." I smiled in relief. I really did love her. After I had gotten dressed I went down for some breakfast. I only got in a piece of bread and some fruit before there was a knock at the door. I walked into the foyer just in time to see Will break off one of the pieces of décor. "Careful Will, those are expensive." I surprised him. He turned quickly but sighed when he saw it was me.

"Not very good work, though." He dumped it into the umbrella stand.

"They suit their purpose when they aren't being played with." I pointed out with a raised eyebrow. He only shook his head before looking me over.

"You look charming."

"Thank you." I smiled softly.

"William," We both turned to see Mr. Swann. "I see you have the sword for the Commodore." Will was all too proud to show off his work, but at the end of it, he didn't take the credit. He never did.

"Will!" Elizabeth called from the stairs. She did look stunning in her dress, as Mr. Swann commented. I watched the interaction between the two. It was almost heartbreaking to see.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Elizabeth?" She smiled. She so wanted them to become personal.

"At least once more Miss. Swann." Will said anyway. He was so strict about the rules. Everyone had a status and a place and they were not to change or blend with another status much lower than theirs, even if that hindered him. Lizzie straightened up at that.

"Good day, Mr. Turner." She tensely walked out the door. I looked to Will with a smile.

"It's alright."

"I hope so." He sighed then straightened up, "You wouldn't mind a lesson later would you?" He asked calmly while his eyes pleaded. He only wanted to 'give me a lesson' when he was frustrated and needed a friend. It was the only reason I still let him do it. I got no benefit besides a skill I won't need and very sore limbs.

"I suppose not, Will. I'll leave the coronation a bit early." I promised as Charles came in.

"Excuse me Miss Hart, but your carriage is waiting."

"Thank you." Will attempted a weak smile before I headed out to join the others.

-POTC-

I watched as the uniformed men marched without a hair out of place. I expected the ceremony to be dull in every sense of the word, yet it was rather interesting. Mr. Swann would murmur explanations to me at times to explain why they would do some things until Captain Norrington became Commodore Norrington.

"Congratulations Commodore." I greeted James after the ceremony. He smiled proudly.

"Thank you Miss. Hart, and might I say you look delightful today." He motioned to my dress.

"Thank you, Commodore." I smiled politely. After we parted, I decided to go to Will. He was probably feeling more defeated by the moment. I told Mr. Swann I was going to walk off a headache in order to escape. As I snuck onto my path in the woods, I felt a change in the winds and looked around. The trees were swaying and leaves were flying. I shook off the eerie feeling and headed to Will's workshop. I walked in the back door to see him about to leave.

"Where are you going, I just got here?" I put my hands on my hips. He looked at me, confused.

"Haven't you heard? Elizabeth's been attacked by a pirate. She isn't hurt but I thought you'd be with her." He continued to grab his jacket.

"There will be a fair amount of commotion at household, then. There will be doctors upon doctors and dozens of people asking her if she is alright. I won't even be able to see her. I say I have at least an hour." I estimated. He still looked worried so I walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Elizabeth is strong; she won't let a pirate rattle her bones. She's just fine." I promised him.

"I suppose your right." He sighed. "You need another lesson anyway. I just need a moment." He walked out the door. No doubt, he heard about James's proposal. I walked into the back room and began to strip. I had only pulled pants on under my shift when I heard the door open and close.

"That was fast." I murmured to myself and began on the corset. It was unusually quiet, even for Will. I tossed the corset aside and pulled off the shift before wrapping my chest. It wasn't too tight; I only wanted to keep some modesty in the whole thing. Suddenly I heard a shout and stood still. I listened for a moment before I heard clanging and rolled my eyes. Will never stopped working. Pulling on a shirt, I tucked it into the pants then pulled the barrette out of my hair, letting it fall down. I pulled on flat shoes next before walking out. I was looking down at my shirt, lacing it up. "Will, could you try not to hurt," I looked up in mid-sentence and stopped in my tracks. It wasn't Will, it was a pirate, but that wasn't what stopped me.

Have you ever seen someone and you know that you've never met them before but deep inside you, something about them feels so familiar. He looked equally as confused as I was.

"You're a pirate." I kept my distance but moved towards the work table so I was across from him.

"And you're a very good looking woman in men's clothing." He looked me up and down. I took him in as well, his pirate garb, his hair, and his braided beard. He was rather handsome I couldn't deny it.

"Are you going to hurt me?"

"No, darling, I'm just escaping." He held up his iron clad wrists.

"It doesn't look like you're doing very well." I teased shakily as I always did when I was nervous. He gave me a smirk then looked around. Picking up the hot poker, he burned the poor donkey before latching his chains around the gear and easily breaking free. He turned back to me smugly.

"How about now?" He showed me the broken chains.

"Bravo," I commended him, not moving from my place.

"Thank you." He gave me a low bow, removing his hat in the process, then took a step closer. "What's your name, love?" I took a step back.

"Why should I give you my name? In fact, why shouldn't I call for help?"

"Well," He thought, "you have my word that I won't hurt you. You can trust me."

"Oh, so you're a good pirate?" I asked with crossed arms, making sure it sounded as ridiculous to him as it did me.

"You sure do have an opinion about pirates." He chuckled and moved closer, as I moved back.

"I've heard my fair share of tales." I confessed.

"I think the better question between us is why am I not continuing to escape?" He brought the detail to my attention as he continued to step towards me. I took a step and backed into a table.

"I don't know." I admitted. Taking advantage of my situation, he fully approached me, putting a hand on either side of the table behind me, caging me in my place. "Nevertheless, I am not inclined to be seduced by a pirate." We both turned our heads to the door as it began to open.

"That's Captain Jack Sparrow, luv." He murmured in my ear before vanishing off to hide. I turned to the table and looked at the swords.

"I'm back." Will walked in.

"Good, we can start." I picked up a sword.

"Did you move this?" He picked up a hammer. I turned and saw it but shook my head. Why was I covering for Captain Jack Sparrow? I should just tell him. Will put it back then spotted Jack's hat.

"What's that?" I asked him. What is wrong with me?

"I don't know." Will reached for it, but his hand was smacked away with a sword held by none other than Captain Jack Sparrow. "You're the one they're hunting, the pirate!" Will immediately turned to me. "Run!" I looked at Sparrow, then down at my clothes.

"But,"

"Now!" Will cut me off and I immediately ran to the back room, grabbed my clothes, and left.


	4. A Necessary Adventure

After changing in the forest, I made it back to the estate. By that time, news had come in that Captain Jack Sparrow was in fact caught and jailed. With all the commotion, I barely had to utilize my excuse that I was merely still taking that walk to clear my headache. Especially since my secret wasn't much of a secret at all.

"You were down the road with that blacksmith again, yes?" Maria asked firmly as she helped me out of my dress and into my nightgown. I turned to her in surprise. No one was supposed to know that. "I'm your lady in waiting. I see the bruises after you come from one of your 'walks'." She made began to remove the pins in my hair. "And you can never pin your own hair right."

"We aren't doing anything bad, I promise." I didn't want her to think I was whoring myself out.

"I believe you." She patted my shoulder.

"Will is teaching me how to use a sword." I sat at the vanity and let her begin to brush my hair.

"Why do you want to sword fight?" She asked me through the mirror.

"I don't. It makes my limbs sore." I ran my hands over the tops of my arms and noted the slight hardness forming. "I am growing stronger though."

"I noticed in your dresses." She told me.

"Maria, how do you seem to notice everything? I don't even notice when you notice things." I laughed.

"I grow attached to my ladies. And as a mother notices her children, I notice you." She began to braid my hair for bed.

"And as a child is grateful for her mother, I am grateful for you." I smiled at her through the mirror.

"Miss Elizabeth will need to see you at least once tonight so you will go when I am finished." Maria told me before finishing the braid and tying it off. I walked to Lizzie's room in time to hear her tell Estrella that it was too bold of her to talk about Will.

"Don't be so serious, Lizzie." I went to her bedside and hugged her. "Are you alright?" I leaned back and looked her over.

"Of course." She smiled.

"I knew it would take more than a swaggering pirate to rattle Elizabeth Swann's bones." I climbed on her bed with her as we shared a laugh.

"Will you stay tonight?" She asked me and I looked to Maria who nodded.

"Of course, Miss'. Goodnight." She curtsied along with Molly and Estrella before leaving. I immediately looked to Lizzie.

"I want to know everything." I moved onto my knees, ready to listen.

"James proposed after his coronation. I already couldn't breathe because of that corset but, that news was untimely." She admitted. "I don't know what happened after that. One moment I was looking at James, the next I was spitting up water on the dock and there was a pirate over me. He escaped but they caught him. Where were you in all of this?" She finally asked me.

"I was taking a walk to clear my headache." I finally go to use my excuse but she gave me a knowing look.

"You can tell me the truth. I'm not my father and I'm certainly not Hamish."

"Don't think anything of it, but I was with Will." I braced myself for her backlash. She gaped at the news.

"What were you doing?" She was jealous, I could tell, but she didn't need to be.

"He was feeling anxious after your stroppy talk this morning, and I think he heard about your engagement. I was just lending him an ear. He only talks of you." I told her with a smile and she blushed.

"Am I really that obvious?" She whined and I nodded.

"You have no idea." I laughed as she put her face in her hands in embarrassment. All of a sudden gust of wind blew in from the window, blowing out the candles. We exchanged a look. "That's strange." I moved myself under the blankets.

"Everything seems strange lately." She observed. Suddenly I heard something in the distance.

"Do you hear that?" I asked her. We were quiet for a moment. There was definitely cannon fire and screams. We both got up and raced to the balcony. The whole port was in shambles. "My word."

"Look," She pointed to pirates coming up our hill. Suddenly she turned and went to the door.

"Lizzie, don't!" I tried to stop her but she shook her head.

"I have to warn them." She left and not a minute later, I heard her shout, a gun being shot, and shouting. I crossed my chest in a short prayer before running out the door, only to be pushed along by Lizzie into the drawing room where Molly was.

"Miss Swann! Baily!" She gasped. "They've come to kidnap you; you're the Governor's kin. They'll ransom you, they will." She looked between us. Lizzie looked between us.

"Molly, they haven't seen you, go to the first house on the port." She turned to me. "They're going to take one of us and they've already seen me. You need to go find Will, he'll save me."

"Lizzie," I tried to speak but she pushed me to Molly who pulled me into hiding as the door burst open. The pirates followed Lizzie's skirts and Molly dragged me out of the room. I followed her as she led me through the house and out the back door.

"You heard her, Miss." Molly turned to me before we departed. "You have to save her."

"Where's Maria?" I suddenly asked.

"She's home, ma'am. She's safe, I know it. That's where I'm going." She reassured me before pulling me into a tight hug. "Go now." She ordered when we parted. I followed the orders and ran to the woods. No one used this path and I knew it well enough to maneuver easily in the dark, in my nightgown, with nothing but panic running through my head. Lizzie probably meant go to Will when I could and find some safety first, but I couldn't. I would never be able to save her with James and Mr. Swann keeping me under tight security. I ran into the back door of the workshop and immediately leaned against it, panting. I heard the gunfire and moved into a corner just in case anyone came in. I sat, pulling my knees to my chest, and resting my head on them. I don't know how long it took but eventually the firing stopped. Sometime after that, the screaming and crying quieted too. I must have dozed off because when I lifted my head, it was morning and Will was storming into the workshop.

"Bastards!" He threw down his axe. Once he was weaponless I stood and revealed myself.

"Will." He jumped at my voice but looked happy nonetheless.

"Baily," He immediately crossed the room and hugged me, "I'm so glad you're alive." He pulled back and held me at arm's length. "What are you doing here? Everyone thinks you were kidnapped. We have to tell your uncle,"

"No, we can't." I stopped him. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"They've already taken Elizabeth; the Governor's grieving at the loss of you two." He told me, seriously.

"I know; I was there. They were going to take one of us, Lizzie told me she was going to go." He looked at me incredulously. "Will, we have to go get her. My uncle and the Commodore will spend days trying to find this pirate ship, we are the only ones who are willing to risk our lives in this way for her. If my uncle knows I'm still here, he'll have me under strict watch." I told him and watched as he thought about it after a moment he sighed.

"Maybe we shouldn't look to an adventure, Baily."

"Sometimes an adventure is necessary." I told him the truth. Finally he nodded.

"You're right. We have to save her. First though, you need to change." He got me supplies and a hat. I changed into the clothes, chest wrapped, shirt laced and tucked in pants, pants tucked in boots, and my hair braided and wrapped into a bun to hide under the hat. Will rubbed dirt on my clothes and some on my face. "You can't be the cleanest person here."

"I understand." But I grimaced anyway as he put some on my hands. "Are we going to the pirate?"

"How'd you know?" Will asked as he looked me over.

"We don't have a ship, a crew, or any idea where we're going and the Navy is not on our side. Who else would we go to?" I almost laughed at our nonexistent plan. He agreed and once we approved of the look, we were off to the prison.

"You look out." Will told me before running into the jail. All the guards were being used elsewhere. I looked around. There were bodies lying everywhere, the air smelt like smoke, houses were destroyed and everyone was trying their best to clean up. I leaned against the wall and kept my head down. After a few minutes I heard a crash from the jail and stood in time to see Will come out followed by Captain Jack Sparrow. We quickly moved into some trees to stay hidden.

"Now what?" I looked between them. Jack looked at me closely then pulled off the hat.

"You're the lass from the other day." He figured out. He turned to Will. "She's coming?"

"I'm coming." I confirmed and snatched my hat back, putting my hair up again. "What's the plan?"

"I don't know; that's what Jack's for." Will looked to Jack as did I. Suddenly I wasn't as sure about this plan.

"Just follow me." He led us under a bridge, off the docks.

"We're going to steal that ship?" I asked him with clear doubt.

"Commandeer, we're going to commandeer that ship, nautical term." He clarified then turned to us. "This girl, how far are you willing to go to save her?"

"I'd die for her." Will told him instantly and I agreed. Lizzie was the closest I had to a sister and she was certainly my best friend.

"Good, no worries then." He turned back to look at the ship.

"How exactly are we going to commandeer that ship?" I asked him, still in doubt. He turned to me.

"Luv,"

"If I'm going to be a boy, you probably shouldn't call me that." I pointed out. He thought for a moment.

"Lad then, if you could just follow my lead, you won't have to worry about it." He grinned then pointed to some upside-down small boats. "We'll go there first."

"This is either madness or brilliance." Will said it best as we walked under the water using a small boat as an air capsule. I was sandwiched between them since I mostly skimmed the ground with my height difference.

"Strange how those two traits coincide." Jack agreed from the front of me. Finally we released the boat and swam to the surface, pulling ourselves up using ropes. It wasn't as difficult as I imagined.

"All of those lessons really paid off." Will nudged me with a smile and I returned it.

"It looks like it." We climbed over the edge and I hid behind the helm as not to be seen. I heard Will shout,

"Aye, Avast!" And couldn't help but laugh to myself. After a while I heard footsteps and Jack was next to me.

"Are we set?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Aye…lad," He kept up the act as I stood at wheel. He went back to Will and really put on a show; making Will fix the sails and all. We heard shouting and when Jack made sure we were seen, he came back to the helm.

"Trust me yet?" He asked me but I shrugged.

"I don't know; we're still in the bay." I reminded him.

"When we get out of the bay, and we will, you're going back to luv, savvy?" He looked me over and I nodded with a chuckle.

"Aye, aye captain."

"Here they come." Will came up the stairs and we all turned to see James coming after her.

"What's the plan?" I asked Jack.

"Just follow my lead." He told me again. When James got close and everyone swung over, Jack grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to him before swinging over to the Interceptor. Jack pushed me down to hide behind the side near the helm. He and Will pulled up the anchor, and detached the ropes and we were off.

"Thank you Commodore for getting us ready to make way, we couldn't have done it by ourselves." I watched as Jack waved his hat to the other ship and as bullets flew towards him and Will. I heard the shouting go into the distance and finally stood.

"We're clear." I laughed in disbelief. "You actually did it." I looked to Jack.

"You were a good choice after all." Will agreed.

"Of course," Jack nodded proudly, "Now, it'll take the lot of us to keep this ship afloat. Can you work with your hands?" Jack looked between us.

"I'm a blacksmith, Jack. I think I can hold my own." Will made it known before going to sharpen his sword. Jack turned to me.

"I can try." I offered. Jack picked up both of my hands and turned them over, stroking my palms with his thumbs.

"No, luv, with smooth hands like these, you'll be bloody by evening time. What can you do?" He asked, letting go of my hands. I thought for a moment.

"I can wear a corset, I consider that a great feat." I started, "I can use a sword, courtesy of Will. I can read and perform arithmetic rather well. I can speak French and Spanish." I was going to go on when I saw that Jack was about to succumb to laughter. "What is so humorous?"

"It's nothing luv just," He chuckled, "nothing. You can be my quartermaster in the meantime." He told me, going back to the helm.

"But, isn't that important?" I asked him in shock and he nodded.

"Aye, but seeing as we're on a very urgent mission, I doubt your services will be much needed." He pointed out.

"I don't want to be completely useless." I hated the idea of just sailing along.

"How about you be in charge of getting me whatever it is I need as well then?" He suggested.

"Alright." I nodded.

"Good, find me some rum on this vessel. Even King's men must get thirsty."

I had to admit that it took me a while, mostly because below deck, ships are quite frightening and I couldn't help but look over my shoulder every few minutes, that and I was beginning to not feel all too well. Finally I found a crate and pushed it behind the stairs for easier access. When I made it back onto the deck, Will was on his back and Jack was handing him a sword.

"What's happened?" I looked between them strangely.

"William and I have come to an accord. His father was a good ole pirate, Bootstrap Bill, and he'll come to terms with that and he will also help me sail into Tortuga,"

"Tortuga?" I interrupted.

"Aye, Tortuga, and I won't do him harm." Jack grinned then spotted the bottle. "Oh good, you've found the rum." He took it from me. I took a deep breath and nodded. I didn't feel well at all.

"Are you alright, Baily? You look pale." Will came closer to me.

"I feel a bit light headed and my stomach feels awful." I admitted and Will put a hand on my shoulder. Jack turned my way and looked at me in realization.

"Over the rail," He moved me the distance to the rail and pushed my head over before I could protest. As if following orders, I emptied my stomach into the ocean. I groaned at the feeling. "She's got to earn her sea legs." Jack told Will. "Go look over the ship, I'll watch over her." Before I could say anything, my stomach lurched again. This was not going to be an easy adventure.

Throughout the day, things had gotten much worse before any better. Jack insisted that staying above deck and watching the horizon was going to help, but in return, my face, neck, and some of my chest darkened from all of the sun. Not to mention that I was always hungry because I couldn't eat anything without it ending up in the ocean.

"It'll be over soon, luv." Jack rubbed my back gently and held my hair as I threw up again.

"I hope so." I moaned as I leaned back over and took the rag and canteen of water and mint from Jack. I took a gulp, washed out my mouth, and spit back over the rail then wiped my mouth. I did feel a lot better where this was concerned. I sat against the side of the ship and looked around. The sun was beginning to set, Will was checking the sails and what not again, and Jack was keeping us on course. Suddenly I began to laugh, drawing attention to myself.

"Care to share what you find so hilarious?" Will asked, smiling at the sight of me.

"Aye luv," Jack agreed, looking at me expectantly.

"Is this not absolutely ridiculous? Lizzie got kidnapped by pirates; she's my cousin by the way." I told Jack who raised an eyebrow at that. "So in attempt to rescue her, the Governor's niece who has no real physical skills, is pretending to be kidnapped and the local blacksmith who is secretly in love with Lizzie and is actually the son of the pirate, Bootstrap Bill was it, is going along with this plan. And then," I started laughing again and had to get myself together to continue, "And then we broke an infamous pirate Captain out of prison to lead the way. So now we are sailing on a stolen, legal term," I pointed out to Jack, "Navy ship on our way to a pirate port to retrieve more pirates." I laughed again and the two men looked at each other then back at me.

"Where's the humor in this?" Jack asked me.

"Has it not been only one day?" I asked him before chuckling again. Will only shook his head with a smile.

"However you need to see it, Baily, is alright with me." He came and kissed the top of my head before retreating to the galley.

"So this girl is your cousin?" Jack asked me while lighting a lantern. I nodded and he handed it to me.

"Yes, my beloved cousin, so if not for Will, try to put in a little extra effort in finding her for me." I took a few more gulps of the water in my canteen. The mint and ginger didn't taste wonderful but I think it was helping. "How did you know to do this?" I held up the canteen.

"I've lived on ships since I was born, hell I was born on one. I've seen you're kind in all different forms. That always helps." He pointed to it. He opened his compass and closed it again.

"Will I live then, Captain?" I asked him about my condition with a weak smile.

"It's a long shot but I think you'll come through, luv." He looked down at me with a toothy grin. "So tell me, how do you know the kid?" He motioned towards where Will had exited with his head.

"He's a really good friend of mine. I met him when I first came to live with my uncle. After that I would go on walks to see him when I was feeling lonely and Lizzie wasn't around. That's when he began to give me lessons."

"Lessons?" Jack inquired and I nodded lazily.

"Lessons on how to master sword fighting with Professor Turner." I teased.

"You wanted to learn to use a sword?" Jack looked me up and down curiously.

"No, I hate it, so much. It hurts me all over. I get drenched in my own sweat and I smell terrible afterwards. Not to mention that Will is very good with a sword and I can't move like he does so he nicks me all the time." I rolled up my sleeve to show him a scar I had on my arm above my elbow. "That was from two years ago. I had to go around telling everyone I mishandled a sewing needle so I'm sure the think I'm daft now." I chuckled at the thought and Jack joined me.

"Why the lessons?" Jack asked and I thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure." I shrugged. "I think it's just that I know that he does it so he can have someone to talk to. He doesn't have any family, and he's alone most of the time. And he's my friend so if he wants me to bang swords with him I will." As if on que, Will came up from the galley and came towards us. "I was just telling our Captain how you force me to sword fight." I kicked his foot gently.

"But you're good aren't you?" Will gave me a knowing look and I nodded.

"I am." I looked to Jack, "I'm very good."

"Alright, I'll give the ship another once over and I'll get some rest. Should I hang a hammock for you?" He looked down at me.

"I don't think so mate," Jack interjected, "She'll be staying in my bed."

"Pardon?" I asked in surprise.

"I don't think so, Jack." Will stepped closer to Jack with a glare but Jack rolled his eyes.

"If you think letting her sleep on a swaying hammock below deck is going to be the best for either of you then be my guest. You'll be in charge of the mop in the morning." Jack shrugged and put his hands back on the wheel. Will looked at me and I shrugged.

"I know how to use a sword." I reminded him of our previous conversation. Will sighed.

"Alright, but if she says anything against you, it's her word over yours Sparrow." Will gave one last warning then patted my shoulder and wished me a goodnight before giving the deck a check and heading below deck.

"You're awfully sure that I won't make a move on you, luv." Jack pointed out.

"Well if you attack me I'll probably just get sick on you." I chuckled. "And I'm not going to sleep in your bed." I told him.

"Then where do you plan on sleeping?" He looked at me curiously.

"Right here. The ocean is working for and against me. The motion makes me sick but the breeze is keeping it down." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Whatever you say, luv. I'm at the helm all night though." He let me know. We were silent for a while before I talked again.

"You must love the sea." I opened my eyes and watched him steer.

"What makes you say that luv?" He looked down at his compass as I took him in. He looked like a picture from a book.

"You should see yourself right now." I told him and he looked towards me in curiosity. "You look like you're supposed to be right where you are." He didn't say anything but kept his gaze and I felt the heat rising to my face at my words. "It's just an observation, Captain." I closed my eyes again before I could make more of a fool of myself.


	5. An Infamous Mutiny

"Baily!" I stirred at the sound of my name and the sun in my eyes. I was lying on my back and it was morning. Jack wasn't at the helm, there was a slipknot on one of the pegs and Will was coming up to me. I sat up on my elbows and looked down to see a blanket over me.

"What's happening?" I groaned through my sleep.

"Did you sleep here? Did he do something to you?" Will was kneeling beside as I shook my head.

"No it just felt better to sleep on deck with my stomach." I admitted then paused. "I don't feel sick anymore." I smiled at him. He gave me a half smirk.

"I think you might have a new problem." He told me before helping me up. I looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?" I asked as he led me down towards the galley and we met Jack on the stairs.

"Bloody hell, luv." He leaned into me and I backed away.

"What's wrong?" I was beginning to panic.

"Nothing's wrong, just a little sun, shade darker is all." He patted my shoulder before going on deck. I looked at Will.

"A shade darker?" I asked him and he continued to lead me to the galley.

"Well, you did sleep on the deck." He reminded me before finding a tray in the kitchen and handing it to me. I looked in and my reflection made my jaw drop. I was a shade darker; maybe even two in my face. I looked to Will for some encouragement. "You still look lovely. Maybe just a little less even." He moved my sleeve up a little to show me the difference in tones. I groaned and put my head in my hands. Lizzie better be grateful when we save her.

By the end of the day, Jack had informed us that we were near Tortuga and would be there before dawn. I couldn't stop looking at myself in the tray.

"I for one like the new look." He grinned but I just shot him a look. "It'll even out… eventually." He chuckled. I had been rather fair skinned for so long. Not as fair as Lizzie, since I did spend more time outside than she did, but nothing like this. I starred at myself for a while longer and eventually I decided I also was growing fond of my 'new look'. It was a different contrast with my brown hair and eyes but it wasn't awful.

"I like it." I declared to Will and Jack who were preparing to weigh anchor. I had pulled my hair up and I decided I liked the look.

"Good, meanwhile we're here." Jack overlooked my declaration. I looked out to see Tortuga lit up in the distance. I could actually hear the shouting in the distance. "Now luv, you'll need either me or Will by your side at all times. These are real pirates who only know how to take what they want, willing or unwilling by you." He warned me and Will nodded.

"I have no objections." I agreed. I didn't want to get attacked or killed or worse. We lowered ourselves into a longboat and Jack rowed us to shore. The docks were full of pirates stumbling off of ships ready to get drunk, or drunk pirates stumbling onto ships with ladies of the night. Will pulled me closer to him as we stepped into the town. It was smelly and crowded and inappropriate and a long list of negative adjectives, but it was also understandable. Pirates couldn't live at sea forever, where else were they going to stop and not be under the law? It was disgusting nonetheless. I stood between Jack and Will, shrinking to either one when someone was shoved towards us or something was thrown our way.

"I wasn't exactly expecting a tea party but this is just," I couldn't even finish my statement because Jack sent me a look.

"This place epitomizes what is means to be a pirate, a true rogue with no limitations. More importantly, it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy." Jack led us through an alley. "What do you think?" He asked Willl who looked for the appropriate words.

"It'll linger." He gave a vague answer.

"I'll tell you mate, if every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted." Jack insisted. I was sure of it, there were prostitutes everywhere. That's when I spotted a red head storming up to Jack.

"Scarlett!" He stepped to her but she stopped him with a hard slap to the face before walking away. "Not sure I deserved that."

"Right, I'm sure he's innocent." I whispered sarcastically to Will who was snickering beside me. Then a blond one came up to Jack.

"Giselle!" Jack greeted her happily as well but she wasn't having any of it.

"Who was she?" She nodded to where Scarlett stormed off. Then she nodded to me. "And who is she?" Before Jack could explain, she gave him a hard slap as well.

"I might have deserved that." He admitted. He stumbled as he led us down the street.

"Are you alright?" I asked him with amusement.

"It's not the first time that's happened, won't be the last." He just kept walking. "We should leave this wretched pit as quickly as possible." I guess those slaps changed his tune.

"With a crew?" Will asked him as more of a reminder.

"Yes, luckily for you, you know the man who knows the man who knows the best pirates to make a quality crew." Jack assured. I had to let my mind wrap around what he had said as we walked through a pub. The fighting and shouting was getting very tiresome very quickly. We dodged and weaved through the crown until we got to the other side of the pub where the pig slops were. There was a man lying amongst the animals. He was asleep and had a bottle in his hand. Jack looked around and found a bucket and water. Next thing I know, we all have buckets full of water and Jack's throwing his on the man.

"Curse you for breathing you slack jawed idiot!" The man shot up with a shout and a dagger, making me take a step back, closer to Will. When the man got himself together he saw who it was. "Mother's love, Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. It's bad luck."

"Ah, fortunately I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys, the man who was sleeping, a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking." Jack kneeled down towards him. The man thought for a moment to figure things out then nodded. The man got up and was greeted with another bucket of water thrown at him courtesy of Will.

"Blast! I'm already awake!"

"That was for the smell." Will shrugged. I laughed some as the man almost protested but thought better of it.

"Come on lass, don't be shy." The man motioned to my bucket and I laughed again, tossing the water at him. We all made our way back into the tavern, The Faithful Bride. We learned that the man was Mr. Gibbs and he was going to find us a crew. Jack told Will and I to keep a sharp eye and sat with Gibbs.

"Would you say that this is going well?" I asked Will. He thought for a moment.

"It's hard to tell. We're closer than the Navy, no doubt, so maybe. But Elizabeth is still in danger so maybe not." He had a valid argument.

"Well, I know Lizzie. She'll be strong until we find her, which we will." I was sure of it. Will suddenly turned his head more as if he had heard something from Jack and Mr. Gibbs. "What is it?"

"Leverage." He told me, "He's using us as leverage."

"Leverage? For what?" I didn't understand. It didn't take long for the gentlemen to finish their rum. Mr. Gibbs was going to set up and find a crew and we were to get rest. When we got to the dock, Jack stopped us.

"Actually, I have a hankering for rum. I might stay a while." He informed us. Will and I rolled our eyes.

"Fine, but I'm staying with you. One of us has to make sure you don't get killed before you save Lizzie." I told him and, after assuring Will that we would be fine, I followed Jack to get some rum which wasn't hard at all. Jack got two bottles then led me to an abandoned dock in which he sat first.

"Sit, luv." He motioned to the area next to him. So we sat on an abandoned dock with our feet in the water, drinking bottles of rum. Well Jack was drinking his, gulping really, while I just nursed mine and watched in amazement. I wonder what it would taste like to kiss him after all the rum. I blushed at the thought and looked away from him.

"Not thirsty, love?" He asked, sounding surprisingly temperate. I looked down at my still full bottle and shrugged.

"I'm not much of a drinker I guess." I admitted.

"You should try it, really is a blessing." He assured me. I laughed timidly then raised the rum bottle to my lips. As soon as the liquid hit my throat I began to cough.

"My word, how can you drink this?" I asked him as he chuckled.

"Practice," He easily took a drink of his but I shook my head.

"I don't think I want to practice tonight." I handed him my bottle which he surprisingly sat aside.

"Fair enough." We sat in silence for a moment.

"Will heard you say that you were going to use us for leverage." I told him what I had heard.

"Not you luv, young William." Jack told me outright.

"But why? I thought you were helping us, not the other way around." I didn't understand when this all got turned around.

"I want my ship back, luv, _The Black Pearl_." He solemnly uttered the name.

"I don't understand. _The Black Pearl_ raided our port and you were in jail and you were still in jail when they left." I reminded him.

"Aye luv. Hector Barbossa captains my ship now with his crew of scoundrels. He used to be my first mate until he led a mutiny against me and cast me off onto an island all by me lonesome." He drank the last of his rum and looked down at the empty bottle somberly before exchanging it with mine. Without thinking very much, I reached over and grabbed his hand with mine.

"I'm sorry, Captain." I stroked the back of his hand with my thumb. He looked at me with a strange expression on his face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Are you sure that I haven't met you before?" He took me in thoroughly but I shook my head.

"I don't think so." I answered but I knew what he meant. It was that same feeling as when I had first saw him.

"It's just,"

"It's just that you know you don't know me but something inside you is telling you that you've been expecting me." I could only explain what I felt. He lowered the rum bottle and looked at me.

"That's exactly it."

"I feel that too." I took a deep breath. "So you'll use Will as leverage?" I got back to the matter of before.

"No, I'll use the idea of Will, Bootstrap Bill Turner's only flesh and blood."

"Why does that matter?" I was curious now. There was a whole entire world and I knew so little of what actually went on in it.

"Bootstrap Bill cursed a chest of Aztec gold after the crew left him for dead on the bottom of the ocean. The only way to undo the curse is by blood. Since Bootstrap is nowhere to be found, presumably dead, the only one left is his only child." We sat in silence as I thought about this.

"Who would have figured that William Turner the blacksmith would be the key to undoing a pirate curse?" I mused.

"Interesting how this world works." Jack agreed then looked down. Our hands were still together. He stroked my hand lightly then began to stand. "Speaking of poor William, he probably thinks I've ravaged you or something of the sort by now."

"He's just protective." I chuckled. Jack looked around and found a small row boat.

"Don't worry love, we'll bring it back before noon and no one will notice." He promised after I asked about stealing. Upon getting back on the ship, I looked around. The deck was not an option for me again. I didn't want to risk becoming sick again either. "The offer for a bed is still open, luv." Jack told me after seeing the apprehension in my face.

"Thank you." I sighed in relief. "But no nonsense from you." I pointed a finger at him and he held his hands up in surrender.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He went to check the ship while I navigated my way to the Captain's quarters. It was rather large. The Navy clearly spared no expenses for its men. I removed my hat then went to the wardrobe. There had to be a nightgown somewhere, man's or not. It took less time than my search for a bottle of rum to find one. I slid into bed just as a knock came to the door. "Covered, luv?" Jack called from the outside.

"Yes, I'm decent." I called and pulled the sheets to my chin with a smile. Jack raised an eyebrow but said nothing. I rolled onto my side, my back facing him and tried to go to sleep. I had nearly fallen asleep when I felt the bed shift. "What are doing?" I sat up and looked over to see Jack getting comfortable next to me.

"Sleeping luv, this is my bed after all, you're just a guest in it." He reminded me. He blew out the lantern before I could respond to the notion that I was a guest in his bed. "Just sleep, Baily. I won't take advantage of you, you have my word."

"And that's all?" I asked but laid back down again with my back to him so we were both laying in the dark.

"You don't trust your Captain?"

"Are you asking if I have faith in a pirate?"

"Fair enough."

"As a matter of fact I do." I told him after a pause.

"And why is that?" He inquired. I thought for a moment.

"Go to sleep." Was all I came up with.

"Just curious luv."

"It's not good to be too inquisitive."

"With that sort of thinking, you'll never go anywhere worth being."

"Why do you talk like that?" I turned so I was facing him. He was lying on his back with an arm behind his head, now looking at me with furrowed eyebrows.

"Like what?"

"In circles like a conundrum."

"I do not." He insisted.

"Yes you do. You did it earlier with Mr. Gibbs and Will, and you did just now."

"Shall I stop?"

"Certainly not, I quite enjoy it."

"Good, because not only is it an inflexible dynamic that I possess, luv, it is also a useful tool to use against dull swashbucklers in any given treacherous circumstance, savvy?" He told me and I couldn't help but laugh. "Is this amusing?" He asked me but I only laughed more.

"That is exactly what I mean."

"Are you going to be this lively the entire way?" He chuckled himself.

"Shall I stop?" I used his words against him when I got myself together.

"Certainly not, I quite enjoy it."

When I awoke, Jack and I were still in the positions we had fell asleep in whilst we were talking. He awoke shortly after me and Will met us in the galley. We were to go to shore, resupply, and gather Mr. Gibb's surefire crew. The resupply wasn't too difficult seeing as we had a mostly stocked ship, the crew part, however, was more interesting.

"Feast your eyes, Captain. All of them, faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt and crazy to boot." Mr. Gibb's had lined the pirates up on the dock for evaluation. As far as pirates went, I knew nothing, but anyone willing to assist in getting Lizzie looked well enough for me.

"So this is your able-bodied crew?" Will didn't look too impressed as Jack inspected them.

"Cheer up, Will. You weren't expecting Navy men were you?" I asked as I looked at them all. I liked the lot.

"You sailor!" Jack stopped in front of an older gentleman with a lovely, colorful parrot on his shoulder.

"Cotton sir." Gibbs informed.

"Mr. Cotton, do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" Jack asked and I chuckled slightly, another example. Jack gave me a sideways glance but turned his focus to Mr. Cotton. "Mr. Cotton! Answer, man!"

"He's a mute, sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out," Mr. Cotton opened his mouth to show a vacant space meant for a tongue. I grimaced at the sight. "So he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how." We all looked doubtful.

"Mr. Cotton's parrot, then?" I asked the bird awkwardly.

"Squawk! Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" It answered promptly, startling me a bit.

"We figured that means yes." Gibbs translated.

"Of course it does." Jack turned to face me Will and I. "Satisfied?"

"Well you've proven they're mad." Will gave him little acknowledgment.

"I'd say talented, dedicated and patient as well." I thought about the process of a mute man teaching a bird to talk.

"I agree." Jack nodded.

"And what's the benefit for us?" We all turned at the sound of a woman's stern voice. Jack slowly stalked over to her and stopped in front of the source of the voice who was wearing her hat down. He slowly lifted it up and grimaced. She was a Negro girl with roughly cut long hair. She was rather petite, almost my size.

"Anna-Maria!" Jack greeted her like the other two women from the night before and like the other two women, he received a slap with a force that caused me to flinch.

"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either?" Will asked sarcastically. I chuckled and nudged Will who smiled down at me.

"No, I deserved that." He admitted.

"You stole. My. Boat!" She was fierce one and she knew how to handle herself amongst men. I would have to ask her some questions.

"Actually…" He tried to defend himself but Ana slapped him again. "Borrowed! I borrowed without permission. But with every intention of bringing it back to you."

"Intentions aren't actions Jack. So that _is_ considered stealing." I informed him evenly but he shot me a glare so I didn't say anything else.

"She is exactly right!" Anna agreed with me though.

"How 'bout this, you'll get another one." Jack offered her something that I knew he didn't have.

"I will." She pushed a finger into his face and he cowered backwards.

"A better one." Will piped up.

"Ah, a better one." Jack agreed.

"That one." Will pointed at the Interceptor in the distance.

"What one?" He looked angrily at Will but then considered it. "That one? Aye, that one, what say you?" Ana put a finger on her chin pondering the proposition.

"Aye!" Everyone cheered and started scattering.

"No, no, no, no, no, it's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir." Gibbs came up and tried to change his mind. I gapped as Jack looked to me.

"Just an old superstition, Mr. Gibbs."

If I had to measure, I would say that it began to rain at about noon, it began to pour at about evening and it became a raging storm just at nightfall.

"Baily, I know you want to help, but now is not the time." A drenched Jack led a drenched me back to our cabin.

"Really? Because I could,"

"No, no, no." Jack stopped me and sat me down onto the bed. "I can't steer a ship and watch out for you too luv." He explained, making me sigh and look down at my hands.

"I know I'm no help." I didn't want to do nothing but I wasn't suitable for a ship and it was a hard factor to admit to myself.

"Ah luv, you _are_ handy, just not at these things." Jack tried to cheer me up a bit. "Now, I've got a girl to find, savvy?" I nodded, still a bit downtrodden, and watched as he left to navigate the storm. It wasn't until hours later that he came back in, soaked to the bone. Not paying attention to me, he began to strip, first his coat and hat, then his shirt. He was rather handsome, even with the ink etched into his skin. They added to the attraction if I was going to be honest with myself. Realizing I had been staring and that Jack was about to take off his trousers, I gulped and felt the heat rise to my face. I had to stop him for my sake at the least.

"I'm still awake." I spoke up quietly. He turned to me surprised.

"I see that." He stood upright.

"I'm sorry." I turned so he could change.

"Quite alright luv," He came and laid next to me after a while, "Not many women can resist me."

"How could they with a self-image like yours? It's outstanding." I turned back towards him. "Is everyone fine?"

"Aye, luv. We've dropped canvas and we're catching up." He looked practically giddy.

"Catching up to Barbossa?"

"Catching up to the _Pearl_." He looked into the distance, imaging it. I turned over onto my stomach in thought.

"How did you come to put so much love into a ship?" I wondered aloud.

"Not sure, it's just always been mine. It's everything I stand for. I gave my life for that ship." He told me considerately, not explaining the last part. I decided not to ask that tonight.

"Do you think you could ever love someone as much as you love that ship?" I asked him thoughtfully.

"That all depends on the person." He gazed at me, making me redden and avert my eyes away. After a moment, I decided to ask about something I had been considering during the storm. I probably wasn't going to see the man again and he seemed to have more knowledge about the world than I did.

"Jack, can I ask you about something?" I didn't look up at him but could feel him become more alert.

"Aye luv."

"Can you think back to four years ago?"

**Please Review if you like what you've read! :)**


	6. May 14, 1779

_**May 14,**____**1779- 4 years prior**_

I always thought drowning would be a peaceful way to die. It wasn't. I felt confused and dizzy as I gasped for air every once in a while when I wasn't being pulled under by the water. It like an eternity I did this until I heard a voice yelling. Suddenly I felt sand and praised the Lord. I crawled above water and began throwing up sea water.

"Miss!" I looked up and saw a man leaning in front of me while I sat on all fours. "Are you alright? Can you hear me?" I looked up at him and realized it was raining. "Miss?"

"Where am I?" I looked around. I was on a beach, near a dock.

"Hamish!" The man called and another man came forward.

"She's bleeding and delusional."

"What?" I was so exhausted; I could barely understand what they were saying. Their voices and images began to fade and I felt myself collapse.

When I began to wake up, I heard voices.

"…well you cannot keep her. She is not a pet."

"Just the same, I cannot throw her on the streets. She is young, about Elizabeth's age."

"What will people say? There will be talk and your name will be at risk."

It was the men from the beach. I shifted some and opened my eyes. I tried to sit up but I let out a groan instead. My head was in ringing.

"No, don't sit up." The man who was in favor of me came to my side. He was older and had a large, curly, silver wig on. His face was soft and kind. "Hamish, get the doctor." He directed the man who was not in my favor. He was older with a wig as well, it was a silver ponytail, but he had dark eyes and a stern face.

"Yes, M'Lord." With that the man, Hamish, left.

"Where am I?" I asked first. My voice was hoarse and my throat was on fire. The man handed me a glass of water from the side table.

"Drink slowly." He instructed. "I am Governor Weatherby Swann. You are in a room at my estate. We found you on the beach last night when there was a storm well on its way. You had a head injury and you were crawling from the water. Do you remember what happened?" I handed him my glass and thought but my head felt like it was swirling. I shook my head.

"I don't remember anything. I don't remember how I got in the water or, if I hit my head." I felt myself begin to hyperventilate as I tried to sit up. "I don't understand,"

"Sh," The Governor pushed me back down gently, "You're safe here." After that, a doctor came in and examined me. He said I was suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and a nasty head injury. He said that it may take a while for me to remember what happened before I washed up on the beach, if I remembered at all.

"She needs to rest," The Doctor told Hamish and Governor Swann, "Badgering her with inquiries and planning is not wise." He left after that and the two men stood in silence before looking at me. Hamish looked more frustrated by the minute and the Governor looked at me pitifully.

"We'll leave you to rest."

I reposed for three days until I could walk without assistance and got cleaned up. That's when Hamish and Governor Swann called me to a sitting room. Two maids helped me into a corset, pulling only slightly at the strings, and into a dress. I made my way to the men and sat before them in the bright room that was lavishly decorated. Hamish looked as frustrated as he did when I saw him last, but the Governor looked happier.

"We have heard that you remember your name." The Governor began first. I nodded.

"Yes, Baily Marie Hart."

"Is that all you remember?" Hamish looked at me, now with a little hope.

"Yes." I turned back to the Governor.

"We cannot very well throw you out into the street at your age with no memory and no knowledge of your surroundings. I think it to be a good, Christian deed to let you to stay here." Governor Swann told me the news.

"Forever?" I must have looked confused because Hamish jumped in.

"Yes, you will stay here forever, or until you find your memory. This being the Governor's household, you cannot _just_ stay here, so you will act as a member of the family, a cousin to Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth?" I questioned.

"My daughter." Governor Swann interjected proudly. "She is seeing her Grandmother at the moment, but you will meet her tomorrow when she comes home." I looked between them in silence for a moment.

"This is all really kind but I don't understand." I did understand; I just couldn't believe it.

"You will become the niece of Governor Swann. You will live in the Governor's mansion. And you will live as a member of the Swann family." Hamish laid it out for me. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I stood, the men following my lead.

"Thank you, very much!" I practically jumped onto the Governor. He laughed and hugged me back.

"You are welcome."

"Clearly you will need etiquette classes." Hamish commented from his spot.

"Oh come now Hamish," Governor Swann let me go; "This is cause for celebration."

"If I may remind M'Lord, it is cause for planning. This sets many things in motion."

"Well not at this moment." Governor Swann looked back at me. "I want to get to know my honorary niece."

There were so many things I had to learn about Mr. Swann and Port Royal. When he was elected, who he ran against, who his wife was, who his family was, who my 'parents' were, these were things I needed to know if I was to be a close niece to the Governor. I also needed to have a story if anyone asked. That's where Hamish took over. He was going to think something up that was so accurate that, even if second guessed, I could be accounted for. The next day I was to meet Elizabeth. I woke up to the same two maids.

"Good morning, Miss." The older maid spoke first. "My name is Maria; I will be your handmaid. This is Molly; she will be second to me. If you need anything, you will call one or both of us, now, to get you ready." Maria moved so efficiently, that I watched her more than what she was doing. She was older and looked nice. The two put on my corset and this time they weren't holding back. I gasped as I felt the first pull.

"Oh my," I breathed.

"Hold this." Maria placed my hands on the bed pillar. I gripped it and held on with every jerk. When it was over I felt Molly pat my shoulder.

"Good job, Miss." After my dress was slid on, I sat and got my hair brushed.

"You meet Miss. Swann today." Molly stood by, holding hair pins. "If all goes well, we'll move you to a bedroom, and out of this guest room."

"If all goes well?" I looked up at her but Maria turned my head back straight.

"Hold still." She ordered.

"I'm sorry." I apologized but still wondered about Molly.

"The Governor loves his daughter. If she doesn't like you, he'll keep you two as far as possible, and this is the farthest guest room."

"Molly," Maria warned her as she started putting in pins.

"My apologies, Miss." She smiled at me and stayed silent as Maria finished my hair.

"Breakfast is served every morning; you just have to go downstairs. Miss Swann will be returning in time for lunch." Maria informed me promptly then had Molly lead me downstairs to the breakfast table where Mr. Swann already was. He stood when I entered.

"You look wonderful." He grinned and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh, thank you." I blushed and sat at the table. A plate was immediately brought to me. I thanked the butler as well. We ate in silence for a while before I spoke up. "Governor Swann," He looked up from his paper, "I would like to thank you for taking me in. I don't know why you did it, but I am so very glad you did."

"You remind me, so much, of my daughter. I can't imagine what it is like for you, it must be terrifying. I can only hope that, if my own daughter were in the same situation, someone would show her the same kindness." He explained. He really did love her.

Elizabeth came just as they had said, before noon in time for lunch. I waited upstairs while Mr. Swann explained to her what was going on. I paced while I waited. If Molly was right, and I was sure she was, I could possibly be sent away all together. There was a knock on my door and before Molly could answer it, it swung open, revealing Elizabeth Swann.

"Hello," I began but was cut off by Elizabeth crossing swiftly and embracing me.

"What you must have gone through, I can't imagine." She squeezed then pulled away and held me at arm's length. "But if anything I'm so glad to have another woman in the household. Sometimes I think father and his political friends push any feminine touch I have out the window. Now there'll be two of us." She hugged me again. I looked to Maria who smiled encouragingly and I hugged her back.

"Yes, thank you."

Elizabeth not only liked me, she requested that our rooms be next door to one another. She was genuinely happy to have me there. She pulled me along to play games, and to run in the gardens, and to go shopping. I began to feel more like this was my home and I absolutely enjoyed it. But there was always the reminder that I was in fact, not at my own home. Hamish came to me the morning before the party that Mr. Swann insisted we throw to show me off and announce my arrival. Hamish told me that I was a cousin from Elizabeth's mother's side, that my parents had died and Mr. Swann took me in and that if it was ever any questions about the details, to be too emotional to talk about it.

"That all seems so simple." I looked at the notes he had given to me.

"I will be the one giving the details. News travels faster that way." Hamish began to gather his papers.

"Thank you, so much, Hamish. I could not do this without you." I smiled at him and he sighed, pausing from his activities.

"Though this may help the Governor's reputation, I cannot imagine why the Governor is going along with this ruse, or what you imagine you will gain from it." He looked me in the eye, "For the sake of politics I will not reveal you, but you will not benefit under this lie as I imagine the Governor thinks you will. You do not have long until you will marry, because you cannot hide here for the rest of your life. You will not be able to easily marry into status or climb any worthy hierarchies without tangible status to your name. You will have to tread oh so very softly. And if you slip, you will carry out your welcome until it can no longer go on, and you will leave." He told me bluntly before gathering his things, standing, and bowing slightly. "Good day." I watched as he departed. I sat for a while and thought about what he had told me. It was the truth. Every lie sees the light of day. I felt myself panicking as every word he said played over and over again in my head. I heard knocking at the door but I ignored it as I closed my eyes and let tears run down my face.

"Miss," Maria stepped in, "Oh, Baily." I heard the door shut and footsteps before arms wrapped around me and pulled me closer. I buried my head in her shoulder and cried into her shoulder. As happy as I was with the Swann's, I was still a stranger and I was still scared.

By the time evening came, I was ready to be presented like a doll at my arrival party. Hamish paraded me around to the important people first, whispering to me about how I was supposed to act and what I was supposed to say. Then Mr. Swann presented me to some of his nonpolitical friends who were happy to meet another family member. Finally, Elizabeth presented me to my new circle of friends which were her friends and the night went as planned.

I was welcomed into society as if they were waiting for me.

**Review and let me know what you think . **


	7. Rumor Has It

Jack stared at me after I explained what had happened.

"Bloody hell, luv." He finally commented.

"Yes, I understand your shock but could you think back to anything strange, any ship wrecks four years ago?" I urged him but he shook his head.

"No pirate ship would have a lass like you on it. Can you really not remember anything?" He looked at me, intrigued. I sighed and shook my head.

"No, but it's alright. It was worth a try." I gave him a reassuring smile.

"My condolences anyway." Jack lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "You're fortunate that no one else found you."

"I know. Can you imagine if I had washed up on Tortuga's shore?" I scrunched up my nose at the thought while Jack continued to tease my hair.

"I don't think I can. However, after these few days something tells me you would have good spirits no matter where you washed up."

"Well I try not to think of the bad things. I'd be in tears constantly if I did."

"I need a lass like you in my life." He said it, surprising us both I think. He chuckled and shook his head at himself. "I meant your high spirits."

"Really? I am an unspoken for young woman of age and you were only speaking of my optimism?" I was surprising myself with how blatant I was being but I quite enjoyed it. Hamish wasn't around to tell me otherwise and if he was, I think my directness would be only one of many offenses I've committed.

"Not that I don't find you attractive, luv, but this is quite a hectic situation we are in." He reminded me.

"Well I for one have not let that deprive my imagination." I could hardly contain my smile at the shock apparent on the pirate's face as I rolled onto my side.

"Goodnight Captain Sparrow."

The next morning, Jack wasn't beside me when I woke up. I quickly got dressed to see if anything had happened. There were a few men on deck and Anna-Maria. They all gave me lingering looks of curiosity as I passed them and went up to the helm where Jack was.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" I rubbed my eyes from the sleep.

"I might have warned them about you." He shrugged, giving me a half grin.

"Warned them?" I looked over the deck and got a lot glances and people looking away. I turned back to him, now slightly worried. "What did you say?" He looked for the words.

"I may have told them that you may have a pretty face but you are quite unstable up here," He tapped my head, "And that you are a ruthless Quartermaster. Tales fly from there." He shrugged.

"You lied?" I concluded easily.

"Well someone has to earn you your spot on this ship."

"So you lied." I confirmed then looked over the deck and back at him. "Did they believe you?" I asked him in a whisper. Did all of these pirates really think I was a lunatic?

"No." He shook his head, "But they are curious about you."

"What do I do?" I wanted to be a part of the crew in some way.

"You could do nothing. You won't be here too long." He gave me one option, "Or, you could put your hands on this wheel and act like I'm handing it off to you while I go get something to eat." He grabbed one of my hands and made me grip the wheel, switching places with me, then took his compass off his belt and put it in the other hand, and finally took his hat and put it on my head. Before I could protest, he announced to the crew, "For the time being, your Quartermaster is in charge!"

"Aye!" They all shouted dutifully.

"Jack," I finally found my voice, shaky as it may have been.

"If anything happens, think like me, luv." He gave me a wink then bounded down the stairs. I noticed the crew all staring at me. I took a deep breath. Think like Jack.

"No lollygagging, get back to work!" I yelled as loud as possible and they all rushed back to what they were. They actually listened to me. I could do this. After a while of what felt like silence in the early morning, I pulled out the compass. It swung around a few times then almost stilled before pointing in some wayward direction. "He references a broken compass." I concluded. The sound of boots coming towards me redirected my focus. It was a man who looked slightly nervous. He took off his hat when I made eye contact with him.

"Excuse me, Miss, but we was wonderin' if all those stories about ye are true." He seemed to be speaking for the lot of them. Something was telling me that Jack hadn't told me what all he said. I could have said no, or I could have said,

"Only if you get one my bad side, is that clear sailor?" In a fierce and low voice that I only used when I imitated Hamish.

"Aye, ma'am."

"Name sailor." I ordered.

"Amos, ma'am."

"It's good work you're doing Amos, thank you." I gave him a stern nod and he gave me a slightly confused look in return before staggering back to his crewmates. It wasn't long before Will came on deck. He looked around and spotted me immediately.

"What are you doing?" He came over to me.

"Jack put me in charge so he could have breakfast." I explained, adjusting the hat.

"And what makes you worthy of having such a title?" Anna-Maria came up to us with a glare. Will and I glanced at each other. I thought back to what made Jack give me the title in the first place.

"I can read, write, do arithmetic, speak three languages, and run a tight ship sailor, now get back to work." I told her. She paused for a moment but gave me a half smirk.

"Aye, ma'am." She ran off and I looked to Will with a sigh while he shook his head.

"How do you do it?" He chuckled lightly.

"Do what?"

"Do things like this? You never say no and you ask for what you want and if the answer is no, you make sure it's yes by the end of the day."

"You're being too kind." I insisted but he was serious.

"I asked you to spar and you did it. You practically run the Governor's home. You didn't even blink an eye at going on a very dangerous pirate adventure to save your cousin. Baily, you're running a pirate ship and they all think you've shot a man for sitting in your seat at a pub in Tortuga. You can't use a gun and we've only been there once." He shook his head once again.

"You don't know that." I argued but he gave me a knowing look. "I'm a fast learner." Will smiled.

"You can do it. You can do anything."

By the time Jack came back, I was running a very efficient ship. The deck had been swabbed, the sails had been aligned, and everyone really thought that I knew something worthwhile about a ship. He came up towards me as I was talking to a pirate, Francis, about how he began a piracy.

"I just knew in me heart that I couldn't go on livin' like a bum, Ma'am. I needed to get out an' see the world for all it's worth." He told me.

"That is wonderful." I put a hand on his shoulder. "You're doing very well and we are happy to have you aboard." He smiled and went back to work.

"What the bloody hell have you been doing?" Jack came up behind me with a mouth still chewing his breakfast. I grimaced but answered.

"I have been running this ship. Look how well they're doing. I almost have everyone's name except the man in the crow's nest. He won't come down." We both looked up to see the man resting his head on his arms and looking out into the sea.

"I heard I was needed at the helm." Jack swallowed his food then took his hat back before reaching around me to get his compass off my hip.

"I don't know where we're going and it's becoming hard to see." I motioned to all the fog.

"It's not even been an hour luv and they already enjoy you." He booted me out of the way.

"Jealous?" I asked proudly as Mr. Cotton came up to the helm in curiosity. Jack opened his compass (Mr. Cotton and I looking over his shoulder to see if it really worked), checked the heading, and then turned to me.

"I would say surprised is the word. Everything is in order and we are well on our way. We'll be there soon in fact." He leaned on the wheel and looked at me. "Did you know that you were to be married off to a nobleman but in order to protect your freedom, you challenged him in a dual, won, and used his money to buy yourself a boat and become a pirate?"

"Wow, you lot are creative and quick I might add." I noted.

"I think young William came up with that one." I looked over to where Will was looking over the edge with everyone else. "Nevertheless, they are only going to get more elaborate from here. I'll throw in some facts later on. There has to be some truth to those stories to keep your name worthwhile." He winked me. I took that into consideration as I looked back to the deck.

"Will does a wonderful mockery of you." I pointed out the act from on the lower deck. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Gibbs must be telling him one of my stories, the mutiny one."

"How can you tell?" I watched closely at Will and Mr. Gibb's conversation.

"Gibbs always looks like that when he tells that story. It sounds the best when he does it, very dramatic." Jack watched on then gave to wheel to Mr. Cotton, leading me slowly to the lower deck. "Barbossa mutinied me onto the island as you know."

"Aye, Captain." I nodded and he stopped giving me an amused smile.

"You are becoming a lovely pirate." He began to walk again. "As I was saying, what I didn't tell you was that after three days, I roped some sea turtles together and made a raft to get off the island."

"What?" I laughed at the ridiculousness. We got to Will in time to hear him ask,

"What did he use for rope?" He was disbelieving of this story as well. I looked to Jack expectantly as Mr. Gibbs and Will caught sight of us.

"Human hair, from my back." Jack informed us very seriously. I chuckled as Jack gave the order to let go anchor. "Young Mr. Turner and I are going ashore." He told Mr. Gibbs.

"As well as I." I reminded him. Jack shook his head.

"No, luv, it's too dangerous. There will be ruthless pirates there."

"Haven't you heard? I _am_ a ruthless pirate. I wouldn't disagree with me either; I've shot people for less." I gave Jack a pointed look and he rolled his eyes in amusement.

"Alright, but keep up."

"Of course." I nodded and began to follow them to the boats.

"Try to be safe." Will asked from beside me.

"I will, you as well?"

"I will." He nodded and gave my shoulders a quick squeeze.

"And if the worst should happen, sir?" Mr. Gibb's asked Jack.

"Keep to the code." Jack ordered.

"Your weapons ma'am." I turned to see Marty holding a belt with a gun and a sword in it.

"Thank you, Marty." I took it as if I was expecting it and put it around my waist before stepping into the boat. Will and Jack were both staring at me in disbelief as we lowered.

"Unbelievable." Jack murmured once we hit the water and he began to row.

"Anything." Will repeated to me before we were off to save Lizzie.

/

"What code is Gibbs to keep if the worst should happen?" Will asked Jack as we started entering the cave of the Isla de Muerta.

"It's the Pirate Code isn't it?" I asked Jack as I skimmed the water with my fingertips.

"Aye, any man that falls behind is left behind. In this specific situation, I'm sure that 'any man' can be exchanged for 'any woman'."

"Very comforting, Captain." I told praised him sarcastically.

"No heroes amongst thieves." Will interjected, mostly as commentary.

"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, Baily practically is one, and you're well on your way to becoming one. Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga," We looked down at a pile of gold coins underwater. "And you're completely obsessed with treasure." Jack weighed every component of Will, to a pirate.

"That's not true. I am not obsessed with treasure." Will snapped. Jack climbed onto a rock and looked out to something.

"Not all treasure is silver and gold mate." Jack told him. I reached out a hand to Jack so he could help me up which he did and Will followed. We peered over the hill at Elizabeth who was standing in front of the chest watching Barbossa speak.

"Gentlemen, the time awaited has come! Our salvation is nigh! Our torment is near at end."

"Elizabeth." Will breathed from beside me. I let out a breath of relied.

"Thank God she's alright, but what is that dress?" I looked her over. It looked like a mourning dress.

"For ten years we've been tested and tried, and each man jack of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over and a hundred times again!" All the men cheered at the words of the man I assumed to be Hector Barbossa.

"It's for the ceremony." Jack informed me.

"Ceremony? To end the curse?" I asked and he nodded once.

"Punished, we were. The lot of us - disproportionate to our crimes! Here it is," He kicked the lid off the chest in front of Elizabeth. "The cursed treasure of Cortés himself, Every last piece that went astray, we have returned save for this." Barbossa pointed at the medallion on Elizabeth's neck.

"Jack!" Will jumped up from his place but Jack pulled him down again.

"Not yet. We wait for the opportune moment." Jack moved down from the rock. I turned but didn't move as Will jumped after him.

"When's that? When it's greatest profit to you?" Will looked to me to agree with him.

"Will, we don't know what we're doing, maybe he does." I suggested. "I mean thinking about it; we wouldn't have known where to get a ship, a crew, anything without Jack. We wouldn't have even known where to go." I pointed out.

"He's a pirate still." Will reminded me. Jack tightened his jaw and moved closer to him.

"May I ask you something? Have I ever given you reason not to trust me? Do us a favor? I know it's difficult for you, but please stay here and try not to do anything stupid." Then he turned to me.

"Luv, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Then he pulled a dagger out of his pocket. "Put this in your boot just in case." I took it from him and put it alongside my ankle in my boot. He looked like he was trying to remember something else. "And be careful." He then retreated and I turned to see Will not looking happy with me.

"How can you take his side? She's your cousin."

"Yes, Will, I am quite aware that the person that I find is as close as a sister to me is in danger right behind these rocks. I am also aware that it might not be very safe for her if we just walked into the middle of a crowd of riled up, heavily armed pirates. I would say that it's three of us against how many? Thirty? More?" I ranted to him and he sighed.

"I know, I'm sorry. But we can't just wait until Jack sees profit, we have to save her." He looked around to come up with a plan.

"I'm going to go see what's going on." I told him and climbed back on the rock. The crowd was chanting and Barbossa thrust Lizzie over the chest and said something to her then turned back to the crowd.

"Begun by blood, by blood undone." Barbossa raised a dagger and my heart stopped. He then put her medallion in her and a sliced her palm. I let out a breath but didn't understand. Was that it? I turned and jumped off the rock. They would realize that she was not the missing piece they needed and now I needed Jack to have a plan. Only, when I found Jack, he was on the ground not moving. I heard a shot fired in the cave and the pirates were in uproar again.

"Jack?" I leaned down and pressed my ear to his chest. His heart was still beating. "Jack, you have to wake up." I patted his cheeks lightly and he began to stir.

"Luv, didn't I tell you to make sure he didn't do anything stupid?" He mumbled.

"Did Will do this?" I asked him but he was disoriented. He opened his eyes and looked up at me.

"You look beautiful, luv."

"Alright, can you stand?" We needed to get out of the cave. I heard shouting and peeked above a rock to see the pirates emptying the cave. I helped Jack stand and gave him the oar that I assumed Will hit him with.

"Too good for a pirate like me." He kept rambling. I tried to lead him to where our boat was but I had a feeling Will wasn't here anymore. I let Jack go for a moment to check around a corner and next thing I know I hear,

"You're supposed to be dead."

"Am I not? Oh, then we'll be going." Jack had gotten himself caught. He tried to turn but I heard guns. "Palely? Palou-li-la-la-lulu, palely? Parsnip, paisley, par - partner, partner?" I sighed and made my way over.

"Parley." I pushed through the pirates and stood next to him.

"Parley! That's the one, parley." He agreed with me.

"Down to the depths with whoever thought of parley." A shorter pirate growled.

"That would be the French." Jack put in knowingly.

"Malins qu'ils sont." I added getting some strange looks.

"You're rather proud of that talent aren't you?" Jack asked me.

"Oui." I nodded. It didn't take long before the pirates started parting for none other than Hector Barbossa.

"How in the blazes did you get off that island?" He asked Jack immediately.

"When you marooned me on that godforsaken spit of land, you forgot one thing mate. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." He grinned. I however was a bit concerned for my life.

"And who be you Miss?" Barbossa asked.

"Me?" I stammered in surprise. He nodded once. "Baily Hart."

"Well Miss Hart, I sorry to inform you that you're company has brought with it bad luck for I won't be making that mistake again. Gents, you all remember Captain Jack Sparrow? Kill him and his companion."

"The girl's blood didn't work did it?" Jack called out quickly but smugly.

"Hold your fire!" Barbossa stopped them. "You know whose blood we need?" Jack smiled slyly.

"I know whose blood you need."

I couldn't blame Will for leaving me with Jack. I had defended him after all, and with Will's new idea that I could do anything, it was all a recipe for trouble. That's how I came to sit in the brig of The Black Pearl with a green apple and water to my ankles. Jack had been taken to deal with our whole situation but after twenty minutes or so, he was being dragged down and thrown in with me.

"No luck then?" I asked him and he shook his head.

"That mutinous, slimy, git is just as maddeningly hateful as when he left me for dead." Jack fumed. Noticing a hole in the wall, he leaned down and peeked through it.

"Bloody hell, they're losing supplies." He groaned. I stood and tried to calm him down.

"I'm sure they have a plan." I was trying to be lively like I usually was. He looked away from the hole with uncertainty. "Captain," I hesitantly placed my hands on his face gently, making him look at me, "We should try to find a way out of this and I need your head." He nodded and we began to look around. Suddenly the ship rocked, making me fall into Jack.

"Careful." He steadied me by the waist and I pretended like I didn't enjoy that. He looked out the hole again. "We seem to have come up beside the _Interceptor_." We heard the roar of pirates shouting and suddenly Jack jumped back and grabbed me, throwing himself over me as a cannon broke through the wall. I gasped in shock. He looked down and picked up a flask as I looked over.

"Jack," I got his attention and motioned to the metal door that was now swinging open. We looked at each other and laughed in disbelief. Not wanting to waste a good thing, we hurried out of the jail and went to get our weapons. Jack put on my belt then his.

"Do you know how to use a gun, luv?" Jack asked me quickly.

"Contrary to popular belief, no." I admitted just as quickly. He pulled out my gun and put it in my hand then took out his to demonstrate.

"Pull this," He pulled what I assumed was some sort of lock on his and I copied with my own,

"Alright," I nodded.

"Then you aim, not point, aim." He stressed, "Then you pull the trigger." He pulled the safety on his gun then mine and I put it back in my belt. We were about to run out on deck when I stopped him. I leaned up and kissed his cheek quickly. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Thank you for everything." I smiled then led the way. There were people shooting, firing cannons, perfectly good silverware scattered everywhere, people were swinging from ship to ship and Barbossa was gathering the crew from the _Interceptor_ gradually. Jack went over to the railing and stole a rope from a passing pirate.

"Come on luv." I ran over and he quickly put his arm around my waist and we swung back to the _Interceptor_. We landed and the first person I saw was Lizzie.

"Thank God." I immediately wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me back then pulled away with a smile on her face. "I was so worried about you! I came to save you." I told her. A man with a sword started to swing at us.

"That's not very nice." Jack caught his wrist. Lizzie knocked him overboard then Jack pulled us both down. "Where's the medallion?"

"Wretch!" Lizzie was about to slap him but he caught her wrist eyeing her bandage. "Where's young William?" We both looked around and Lizzie suddenly ran to a grate in the ground. Jack jumped up and went to follow a monkey with the medallion in its mouth.

"Will!" She yelled. I looked around to find something to help but was picked up from behind. I fought as much as possible but was inevitably carried over to _The Black Pearl_. Jack was being held by a group of pirates while Lizzie, the crew, and I were crowded around the mast and roped up, very poorly I might add.

"If any of you so much as thinks the word parley I'll have your guts for garters." The one called Pintel said in attempt to try and scare us.

"Parlay," I said before sliding from under the rope and walked over to Jack who was being watched carefully. Pintel looked baffled at my actions.

"Hey!" He called after me.

"Yes?" I turned to him. He didn't say anything and stood there, gaping. "Right." I turned to Jack who was smirking at me. "I've never been held captive before you know. I think I'm really earning my title." I smiled at him.

"I agree, adding some truth to those stories too." He winked. I was about to respond but the _Interceptor_ blew up right before us. I gasped along with everyone else. Will was on that ship.

"You Godless pirate!" She started to attack Barbossa but he grabbed her.

"Welcome back Miss! You took advantage of our hospitality last time, it's all fair now that you return the favor." He threw her to a group of pirates and I lunged for her.

"Lizzie!" But Jack held me back.

"Barbossa!" We all turned at the sound of Will's voice. I gaped.

"Will!" Elizabeth gasped happily. Will grabbed a gun and aimed it at Barbossa.

"She goes free!" He nodded at Elizabeth.

"What's in your head boy?" Barbossa curiously walked towards Will. He didn't know who he was yet.

"She goes free!" Will repeated himself.

"You only have one shot and we can't die." Barbossa informed him. Jack on the other hand was trying to guide Will.

"Don't do anything stupid."

"You can't," Will jumped up on the rail and pointed the gun at himself. "I can."

"Will!" I gasped and tried to step forward but was once again held back.

"Like that." Jack said defeated. I wanted to know what exactly Will's plan was.

"Who are ye?" Barbossa asked through narrow eyes. Jack raced in front of him before Will could answer.

"No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though, Eunuch." He made a cutting motion with his fingers.

"My name is Will Turner. My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs through my veins." He declared proudly, making everyone gasped.

"He's the spitting image of ole Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us." Another pirate with a wooden eye, Ragetti, said.

"On my word do as I say or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker." Will was going to save Lizzie or die trying, just like he said. Barbossa sharpened up and suddenly became more compliant.

"Name your terms Mr. Turner." Barbossa asked. Will pointed at Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth goes free." He demanded.

"Yes, we know. Is there anything else?" Barbossa rolled his eyes.

"And Baily goes free." Will surprisingly pointed at me. "And the crew is not to be harmed." Barbossa smirked with a hint of malice in his eyes.

"Agreed."

/

I was going to die. I looked out to see the stretch of land that Barbossa had chosen to maroon, Lizzie, Jack and I on, and the distance of water between there and the ship. Lizzie was to walk first while I stood by Jack.

"Go on, walk the plank poppet." Pintel urged Elizabeth while she stepped on it.

"Barbossa, you lying bastard! You swore they'd go free!" Will was being held back by some pirates and was wrestling with them.

"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy. I agreed she'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where." Then he had Will gagged. "Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?" A mumble of 'aye' was passed through the crowd.

"So I'll be having that dress back before you go." He laughed.

"I always liked you." Jack was trying to get on the good side of a pirate who was holding him. The pirate growled and Jack cowered. I watched as Lizzie threw the dress at Barbossa and walked to the end of the plank. Bo'sun kicked the plank and Lizzie fell in. I drew in a shaky breath and turned to Jack.

"I can't do this." I told him. I hadn't been in the sea since I crawled out of it. He looked down at me then leaned in. "If I drown,"

"You won't." Jack interrupted me. "Yes you can do it, luv. Dive in and swim as far as you can; It's not that deep after a while. I'll be right behind you." I nodded as the pirates pushed me forward. I gave a fleeting glance to the crew.

"C'était amusant que ça a duré, au revoir!" I waved slightly then dove in like Jack told me to. The water was cool and I felt the fish swimming around me. I pushed myself as far as I could under water before breaking the surface just in time to see Jack dive in next to me with his hands still bound. I stayed afloat until he surfaced and swam to me.

"Do you have that dagger I gave you?" He asked quickly.

"Yes!" I lifted my leg best I could and pulled it out before making work of his restraints. I replaced the dagger when I was done.

"Good job, luv. Now, you can swim yes?" He asked, treading water beside me.

"I don't know." I admitted. He gave me a look.

"Okay, well try." He suggested. He moved first and I copied him. Either I was a very quick learner or I really did know how to swim. "It's a yes then?" Jack asked with a chuckle as I kept up with him.

"Apparently," I nodded,

"Good, now, just keep swimming and before long we'll reach the shore." Jack explained.

"First one to the beach then?"

I gave myself a lead but Jack came right behind me as we swam for land.

***** **Malins qu'ils sont. – Smart they are.**

***Oui –yes**

***** **C'était amusant que ça a duré, au revoir – It was fun while it lasted.**

**Let me know what you think. **


	8. Pleasant

"You cheated," Jack accused me as we got to the shallow water of the beach and stood.

"I did not! If anything you have the advantage, I was terrified." I pointed out. I walked onto the beach and cringed at the feeling of water in my boots. Suddenly Jack stopped and turned. I followed his gaze and saw the _Pearl_ in the distance.

"That's the second time I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship." Jack growled furiously. I saw Lizzie approaching and I tried to give her my best smile as I embraced her.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as I rubbed her back gently.

"I just," She pulled back, "I just need some time to think." I nodded and watched as she lifted her shift and started to walk. I sighed and collapsed on the warm sand below me. It felt amazing as I closed my eyes and let the heat take over. I heard Jack sit beside me.

"You'll burn like that, get even darker."

"Let it be, then." I told him. "We have the time." I heard him chuckle then begin rustling around for a while before I began to fall asleep. Suddenly felt his hands on my leg. "What are you doing?" I asked him idly as I felt my boot being removed. I could have sworn I felt his hands linger on my bare calf.

"It gets cold at night and you'll catch something if you're in wet clothes." He informed me. "Up," He ordered, hands on my waist now. I raised an eyebrow without opening my eyes, "Your belt, luv." I could practically hear his eyes roll. I lifted my hips and let him remove my belt and weapons. After some moments I heard footsteps. "It's really not all that big is it?" Jack asked who I assumed to be Lizzie.

"If you're going to shoot me, please do so without delay." She told him calmly and for that I did have to open one I eye, bringing up a hand to provide shade. Jack was playing with his gun and Lizzie was standing in front of us. I looked to the side and saw our boots handing on our swords and some sticks. I settled back down and closed my eyes when I realized there was no real danger.

"Is there a problem between us, Miss. Swann?" He asked her in annoyance.

"You were going to tell Barbossa about Will in exchange for a ship." She pointed out.

"We could use a ship." Jack reminded her of our location, another good point. "The thing is that I was not going to tell Barbossa about bloody Will in exchange for a ship because as long as Barbossa didn't know about bloody Will, I'd have something to bargain with, which now no one has thanks to bloody stupid Will."

"He still risked his life to save ours." Lizzie's voice was starting to distance itself and I looked to see her and Jack walking into the trees. I must have dozed for a moment because the next thing I knew, Jack was tossing a coconut and a bundle of bananas at my side and Lizzie was on his tail.

"Sorry, what's happening?" I sat up for the first time since we had arrived.

"He lied." Lizzie motioned to Jack who was holding two bottles of rum.

"About?" I looked between them.

"How he got off this island on his own and probably everything else!" She yelled at him. "Is there any truth to the stories?" She stood waiting. Jack put down the bottles.

"Truth?" He lifted up his right sleeve to reveal a 'P' burned into his wrist and a blue ink picture of a sparrow in front of the sea and the setting sun etched onto it. Then he lifted up his left to reveal exaggerated veins in his arm, and finally he pulled down his collar to reveal two bullet holes. "No truth at all." He grabbed a bottle and opened it, "We'll stay about a month, maybe more, keep an eye out for passing ships and our chances are fair."

"What about Will? We have to do something." Lizzie sounded desperate for the first time since I'd known her.

"You're absolutely right." Jack raised his bottle to the ocean. "Here's luck to you Will Turner." And he took a drink for him. Lizzie looked at a lost then looked to me. She caught my gaze then slowly looked to Jack. She wanted me to talk to him. I looked to Jack then back to her while Jack looked down at his rum. I gave her a half shrug and she went walking again.

"Well, this is not as fun as I was expecting." I finally commented. We stayed silent for a while until Jack spoke up.

"How's it feel, luv?" Jack asked me, looking out into the horizon. "The man, who's been boasting about his stories, just turns out to be Jack Sparrow." He took a gulp of rum.

"I believe there's a captain in there somewhere." I reminded him.

"You aren't disappointed?" He looked down at me, surprised.

"Disappointed that you didn't really rope sea turtles together with your nonexistent back hair?" I gave him an amused look. The story wasn't the most believable.

"That I laid on an island drinking rum until I bartered off a passage from some rum runners." He told me the real story.

"Well there has to be some pretend to those stories to keep your name worthwhile." I gave him a wink. He silently wrapped an arm around my shoulders and placed a kiss on my temple. He picked up a bottle of rum and handed it to me.

"I'll check for water but for now, I advise you practice so you won't get thirsty. If you can get that coconut open you can drink that." Jack began to prepare for nightfall and went for wood as Lizzie came back.

"Well?" She sat next to me eagerly. I only shrugged.

"I think that we should maybe think about something as well. He's at a loss." I informed her.

"Great, bloody good pirate he is."

"Lizzie, he practically saved your life." I reminded her, absentmindedly taking a sip of rum and coughing on it.

"No, Will saved me and you saved me." She distinguished her heroes.

"We wouldn't have gotten this far,"

"Why are you defending him?" She looked at me suspicously.

"I'm not! I just think that we should give recognition where it is due." I shrugged and took another sip of rum, keeping it down.

"You fancy him!" She gasped. I shushed her quickly and looked around. Seeing that he wasn't around, I glared at her.

"What are you doing?" I asked her in disbelief.

"What am I- what are _you_ doing?" She was on the edge of laughing. "Fancying a pirate, this pirate who put Will's life in danger,"

"Will put his own life in danger." I stopped her with a pointed look. "For you, he put his own life in danger."

"Alright, that's true. But," She tried to think, "What about John?" She asked me I looked away from her. Oh yes, John Dawson.

"What about him? I'm not running off on a pirate ship but I'm also not promised to him." I took another sip of rum.

"Just admit it." She pushed with a teasing smile.

"You're being a child."

"You're dressed like him." She pointed out as an example which made me look down at the men's trousers and shirt I had aquired. "You're defending him. You don't even like the taste of spirits and now you're drinking rum. Shall I go on?" She asked.

"You should've never started." I shook my head as Jack came from the trees with would.

"Oh good, you're back." He scowled at Lizzie.

"Unfortunately my options are slim." She shot back.

"Look, if you two don't stop bickering, I'll be making good use of that pistol." I warned them. "We're on an island together and the only way to get off is by staying together." The two of them sat in a stubborn silence. "Please, for me?" I asked and Jack and Lizzie both looked to me then to each other. Jack sighed and held out his hand. Lizzie sighed and grasped it, participating in a handshake. "Thank you."

"I'm only agreeing to be pleasant." Lizzie made it clear.

"I'm not even agreeing to that." Jack grimaced at her and she scoffed, stalking off in distaste.

"Jack," I scolded him with a look.

"She's your cousin luv, not mine. And really not even yours. I say, three is a crowd anyway." He tried to warm me up to the idea but I shook my head.

"You are such a pirate." I groaned out and looked to Lizzie in the distance. Suddenly I got an idea. I looked back to Jack who was about to open another bottle of rum. "I have a proposal for you, Captain."

"Oh really?" He looked at me with a sly grin and mischievous eyes.

"Aye, I propose a dual." His grin immediately failed. His head was in the wrong place as suspected. "First one to be disarmed wins. If I disarm you, you have to keep the peace."

"And if I win, which I will." He notified me.

"If you win, you get to spend your marooning any way you see fit."

"No, I could do that anyway." He began to circle me. "If I come out victorious," He paused then looked me up and down when he came full circle. I kept my firm gaze as he stroked his beard. "I believe I will have earned a caress of the passionate sort as a token for my troubles." He shrugged as if it was a perfectly respectable conclusion. I thought about it. One kiss wasn't so bad. It would be my very first kiss of course, possibly my very last kiss, or even chance at a kiss, as well. So I shrugged and turned to grab my sword.

"Alright, though I could do that anyway." I smugly used his words against him, making his eyes widen slightly. Jack picked up his own sword and murmured,

"More and more a pirate every day."

/

"So what you meant was that regardless of our deal, the very possibility of laying one on me wasn't necessarily outlandish?" My sword clanged against Jack as I defended myself. Somehow, he had been skillfully using this time to attempt to proposition me. He asked as he dodged my swing and used the opportunity to pull me flush against him by the waist. He looked down at me, taking advantage of our close proximities.

"Captain Sparrow, I have to warn you, I am not like your strumpets in Tortuga." I reminded him. He looked down to my lips, then to my eyes, and slowly released me.

"I'll be pleasant, luv. Don't worry." I suddenly felt a wave of confusion as he started towards where he had laid the wood.

"What?" I followed him. He stopped and turned. Lizzie looked up to see us approaching.

"Are you two done playing? It's getting dark."

"Baily has thoroughly convinced me to be at least pleasant as well."

"Good." Lizzie nodded giving me an appreciative look while I was sure I still looked as if I had overlooked something important. "Let's light the fire and find something else to eat." She suggested and looked to the bananas.

"Alright." I agreed after a moment. I gave Jack a look before Lizzie and I went back to the rum cellar to see what else was there. If he was going to act strange, at least he was going to be pleasant as well. We looked through shelves and gathered what we could. It was mostly spices and rum. I found four bottles of water that hardly looked trust worthy but would have to suffice.

"How did you come to enjoy him so much?" Lizzie inquired from behind me.

"Lizzie, please," I tried to stop her.

"Maybe if you admitted it, I'd like him more." She implied innocently.

"Fine," I turned to her in exasperation, "I do." She turned to almost surprised that I admitted it. "But what am I supposed to do about that? I'll fall in love with him and then what will happen? I'll become a pirate and live on a ship?" I asked her, though I wasn't all too opposed to the idea in my mind. What really scared me was leaving, leaving my entire life, what I knew, and starting into a life of unknown again. "And not to mention that he probably doesn't even want to have one woman." I looked down at my hands.

"Baily, you should really see the way he looks at you." She gave me a suggestive look.

"You are quite devious Miss. Swann." I told her, picking up a dusty jar and starting to open it.

"You must not underestimate me then, Miss. Hart." She said back.

"I never do." I opened the jar and was amazed to find fruit in honey. "Thank God." We took the jars we could find and tossed them next to the fire Jack had created.

"What's this?" He picked one up.

"Dinner is served Captain Sparrow." I told him, earning raised eyebrows from Lizzie. We all sat around eating and drinking for a while in silence until I came up with an idea. "Lizzie why don't you teach Jack that song."

"What song?" Jack looked skeptical as did Lizzie.

"The pirate song, you know the one Lizzie." I motioned to her and she sighed.

"Yes, I used to sing it when I thought being a pirate was something exciting." She thought back to her younger days.

"Well let's hear it, we have the time." Jack looked at her expectantly.

"I'll need a lot more to drink before that will happen." She mumbled.

"How much more?" Jack rolled her a bottle of rum. Lizzie surprisingly drank nearly an entire bottle, mostly because she was telling us what exactly Barbossa had done with her. After that, she volunteered to teach Jack, who had finished two bottles, the song. It was a lot of slurred words at first but after a while they were practically harmonizing. I sat as the temperate bystander while they began to skip around the fire.

"Please be careful around the open fire!" I called to them from my safe distance a few feet away.

"Join us Baily!" Lizzie encouraged in the middle of their song but soon forgot about me with another drink. I shook my head and moved closer to the water, sitting just close enough so the waves covered my feet. I heard a bottle break with a loud pop and turned to see the fire stretch upwards as Jack lost his handle on a half empty bottle of rum.

"Careful!" I yelled again.

**Elizabeth P.O.V**

I didn't understand how she fancied this man. We hopped around the fire and I was a bit hazy but Jack was well on his way to unintelligible. Finally he fell and pulled me down with him.

"When I get the Pearl back," He told me, "I'm going to teach it to the whole crew and we'll sing it all the time."

"And you will become the most fearsome pirate in the Spanish Main." I encouraged him. Maybe I was a bit more than a little hazy.

"Not just the Spanish Main, Liz," He shortened my name. "The entire ocean, the entire world. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is you know. It's not just a keel and a helm and a deck and the sails, that's what a ship needs, but what a ship is, what The Black Pearl really is, is freedom." He motioned with his hands very dramatically. I was about to put my plan into place when he said something that surprised me. "And that girl," He pointed to where Baily was sitting by the ocean.

"Baily?" I asked him in surprise, quickly coming a bit more to my senses.

"I adore that girl, and I want her to come with me. She reminds me of my _Pearl_. Not only is she nice to look at, but she's got charisma and her," He motioned to his chest, "Insides are good as well. Unfortunately she's not here for me, she's her for," He pointed to me, "And she'll have to go back. Even if she stayed, I don't deserve a lady like that." At that, Jack gulped down his rum until he was lying on his back, presumably passed out.

**Baily P.O.V**

The singing had stopped and I watched as Jack told Lizzie something, more than likely about _The_ _Black_ _Pearl_, and then drank himself into a stupor. What surprised me was how fast Lizzie got up and made her way to the woods, not an intoxicated step about her. Figuring I should see what was going on, I went over to the pirate first.

"Rum must run through your veins." I looked down at Jack, shaking my head.

"Mmhm." He sat back up slowly. "It's the most wonderful drink in the world." He slurred, making me laugh. "You know something, luv?"

"What's that?" I played along, taking a seat.

"There is something about you that I can't figure out, but what I do know is that you are fantastic and terribly striking." Jack leaned in but I leaned away. "Ah luv, I thought you were smitten for ol' Jacky." He slurred, slightly swaying. This was not his most attractive moment I must say, no matter how amusing.

"I am rather attracted to you Captain Sparrow, but if you think I'll waste my first kiss on you when you're rum provoked, you are dreaming. But if you try again when you have a clear head you just might get somewhere." I told him though I wasn't sure if he understood what I said because he only looked rather confused and tried to grab a new bottle of rum. "No sir, you are too far gone to have any more." It didn't take much protest to get him on his back and sleeping after that. I stood with a sigh and went to find where Lizzie went. "Lizzie?" I called out but only took a few steps into the trees.

"I'm here." She seemed to come out of nowhere with a bottle of rum in each hand.

"I didn't know you were so fond of the drink, but then again you don't look like you're drunk."

"I'm not." She practically spat. "I find it vile; look what it's done to him." We both turned to glance at the unconscious man.

"I must agree with you where that is concerned." I turned back to her. "Then what are you doing?"

"I have been thinking since I saw what happened when one bottle went into our fire. If we can create a bigger fire in the rum cellar, we can create a signal. It will be high enough to get our attention and with the Navy looking for both of us, they'll be here in no time at all." She explained her plan.

"Well golly Lizzie, all these men think we're only good for show and here you are saving our lives." I laughed and we got to work. Of course I advised we save some food and a few bottles just in case it took more than a few hours, but by morning we were well on our way. After a while, I left it up to Lizzie and walked away from the fire, the smoke was starting to burn my eyes and throat. I walked past Jack who was still unmoving, checked if he was still breathing along the way, and made my way down the beach to a place with a few rocks. I knew it wasn't going to come easily to Jack, the news about the rum, and I didn't necessarily want to be there when it happened. I took a deep breath and looked out into the horizon only to see the rewards of Lizzie's thinking coming towards us.

"Bloody woman!" I heard from behind me and turned to see Jack storming across the sand. When he saw me his frustration seemed to dwindle. "Luv!"

"Yes?" I moved over as he sat beside me abruptly. He looked me over closely.

"Was last night as incredible to you as it was to me?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me. I gave him a look.

"Clearly you don't remember last night." I laughed. He tilted his head.

"Didn't we," He motioned back and forth between our mouths, "You know, enjoy a moment?"

"No." I laughed again. "You drunkenly told me that I was fantastic and striking then you tried to kiss me but I rejected you because you were drunk and you promptly passed out from drunkenness." I briefly summed up our night.

"Bloody hell," He grimaced at the story.

"You were a perfect gentleman, or at least I'll tell anyone who asks." I promised with a brief smile.

"I'm sorry, Baily." He apologized, not meeting my eyes. "Not just for that but for telling you to kiss me yesterday. You aren't a strumpet and deserve not to be treated like one."

"It's alright." I promised after a moment, "We'll call it even."

"Even?" He looked over at me curiously.

"Yes, you came on to me, and I helped burn the rum." I revealed my part in Lizzie's plan.

"You helped her!" He yelped.

"Yes, Captain, I may be fond of my company but nothing eases the idea of death on this island." I earned a disbelieving look from him. "I stand by my decision. If I had to do it again, I would, better even." He opened his mouth to respond when I stopped him by motioning out into the ocean. "Fair?"

"There'll be no living with you lot after this." He sighed, watching the Navy row our way.

"And that is for certain."

/

The first thing I did when I got on the _Daughtless_ was hug Mr. Swann, well, he hugged me first, and very tightly I might add.

"Thank heavens you two are alright!" He looked between Lizzie and I with so much relief and joy that it made my heart leap. "We've been searching for days on end since you both were kidnapped to save you." I could see Jack's curious face at the news that I was 'kidnapped'.

"I've missed you, father, it's been terrible." Lizzie hugged him again.

"I can't imagine. No worries, we will be back at Port Royal soon." Mr. Swann assured us. Lizzie and I exchanged looks.

"But, Will Turner," I began but Mr. Swann shook his head.

"I know that his fate is unfortunate but we must return home now that you're both safe." He turned, walking towards James who had been standing at attention.

"Then we condemn him to death."

"His decision to engage in piracy was his own." He told us, not knowing that it wasn't. I pushed him to do it.

"To save me, to prevent anything from happening to me!" Lizzie continued to argue.

"If I may be so bold as to interject my professional opinion," Jack came from his place where he was being held by two soldiers. I watched as he talked with James. He was going to be a hard one to leave when this was all over. James wasn't budging and Jack certainly wasn't helping. James began to walk to the helm when Lizzie ran after him.

"Commodore please, do this for me, as a wedding gift." She was desperate.

"Elizabeth, are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?" Mr. Swann asked her hopefully and she nodded.

"I am."

"Lizzie," I began but she stopped me with a look. She was in love with Will for all of these years.

"A wedding? I love weddings! Drinks all around!" Jack burst from behind us and we all gave him an annoyed look. "I know, clap 'em in irons right?" Jack held up his wrists. James looked at Lizzie in admiration for a moment before giving orders.

"Mr. Sparrow, you accompany these fine gentlemen to the helm and provide them with a heading to the Isla de Muerta, and then, you will spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave'. Do I make myself clear?" James had clearly taken full responsibility as Commodore since I'd last saw him.

"Inescapably." Jack nodded and was escorted to the helm.

"Can someone get my girls a doctor and some attention please?" Mr. Swann asked as if it should have already been thought of and done. With one last fleeting look, Lizzie and I were then taken into the captain's cabin.

Lizzie and I were cleaned, fed and taken care of before being given sailor's clothes to change into.

"What are you doing?" I asked Lizzie as we changed. "Why did you accept James' proposal?" She completed her ensemble with a coat then sighed.

"I'm saving Will's life." She told me solemnly, sitting on the floor and leaning against the bed. "I wish there was another way, but this is the quickest and he'll actually have a chance now."

"But you love him." I reminded her as I sat next to him.

"This is the real world, Baily, and I'm beginning to think that love doesn't always prevail." She looked at me as she said it.

"Why are you giving me that look?"

"Nothing, I just know that you'll be happy with John." She patted my hand.

"Yes, well, he'll have to propose for anything like that to happen." I told her, but immediately my thoughts became about Jack. We sat there in silence, consumed with our feelings. It was strange how quickly I had become accustomed to Captain Jack Sparrow. Part of me even wished that I was sitting at the helm with unconditioned sea legs again. My eyes drifted to Lizzie slowly. "I don't feel so good." I told her cautiously, seeing if she would be able to call me out. She looked over with concern.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know, I think it's just the sun from earlier and the circumstances." I began to fan my cheeks and breathe deeply. "I'll be fine."

"No, I'll get the surgeon." She stood and quickly went to the door. I quickly held my breath and slapped my cheeks a little, making me flush. Moments later Lizzie returned with the surgeon and what seemed like half the ship. Mr. Swann, James, Gillette, and Lizzie stood in worry as the surgeon prodded me and asked me a few questions.

"The girl is just exhausted and overwhelmed." The surgeon turned to my company. "Let her breathe some fresh air in silence for a while with some water, she'll be fine." He left and Gillette helped me up.

"You may stand on deck, Baily." James gave me permission.

"May I stand on the higher deck? I believe the wind would be most helpful." I asked him innocently.

"Yes of course." He nodded.

"But Sparrow," Gillette began but James cut him off.

"Is being watched and is practicing silence." James reminded him before making him give me a canteen of water and escort me to the helm.

"Thank you." I curtsied slightly to Gillette before watching him walk off. Jack turned away from his compass at the sound of my presence. I looked for his guards but only saw Murtogg and Mullroy chatting some ways away. I walked up to Jack and leaned in. "That was far too easy."

"I always knew you weren't just a pretty face." Jack looked me over in admiration. "Switching sides, luv?" He noted my Navy outfit opposed to my pirate one.

"Apparently, however, I don't think it will be as much fun." I smiled at him. He looked back at his compass then closed it, shaking it, and opening it again. "Why don't you just get another compass? There's probably one on board."

"I don't want another compass." He protested childishly.

"And why not?"

"I need a compass that takes me where I want to be, not one that takes me north." He gave me a pointed look then looked at his compass with an annoyed expression.

"You know, Captain, I'm going to miss you when I get back home." I told him honestly.

"You'll probably be better off, luv." He gave me a soft smirk then looked back at his compass and groaned. I tried to look at it but he snapped it closed. I looked over to see the guards still fumbling around, engrossed in their conversation, then back at Jack.

"I feel as though I owe you something for showing me such a good time." I did feel sort of obligated. I looked behind him and noticed James walking towards us from across the ship. I began to fan myself and took a step away from him slyly.

"I don't think parading around pirates is very special, luv." Jack disagreed with me.

"Not with pirates, with you." I gave him a smile, "I owe you a favor." I told him just before James joined us on the deck. "You must have real authority Commodore, silent as the grave." I motioned to Jack. James looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Jack smiled proudly.

"Well that is good to here." James looked back at me then placed a hand on my lower back, leading me farther away from Jack, towards the railing. "If I may have a word, Miss Hart."

"Of course." I nodded. He paused and looked out into the ocean as if he didn't know where to begin.

"You and Elizabeth are rather close." He shared his observation and I agreed. "So you will know whether or not she is marrying me out of admiration for me, or for another." He looked down at me desperately. I didn't want to hurt him, I really didn't.

"Lizzie thinks you to be a very fine man, James. You have nothing to worry about." I skirted around a real answer. I watched as a relieved smile reached his face.

"Oh Commodore!" Jack called from the helm and we both turned. "We have arrived." James looked back to me.

"If I may escort you back to your cabin, Miss."

"Thank you, but I'll be just fine." I gave him a short curtsy then showed myself back to the room.

**James P.O.V**

I watched Baily descend the steps, but more importantly, I watched Jack Sparrow watch Baily descend the steps. He had that same look that I had when I gazed upon Elizabeth. A pirate should not get his hopes up.

"She is a fine woman isn't she Mr. Sparrow?" I asked him, redirecting his focus. He looked at me suspiciously.

"She's quite the lady, Commodore." Sparrow agreed.

"It's no wonder she is betrothed to one of the finest young lawyers in England." I watched as he tried to hide his disappointment but news like that his hard to hear. Baily may not have been engaged but the inclination was enough, her status was enough to know that she was too good for this pirate.

"She deserves as much I suppose." He commented on it.

"Yes, she does."

**Baily P.O.V**

Lizzie was nowhere to be found, meaning she was probably with Mr. Swann. I sat on my own and found my thoughts drifting back to Jack until I heard shouting and a struggle outside the door. I stood as they burst open and Lizzie was tossed in,

"They can't be killed!" Lizzie yelled at an officer.

"Don't worry Miss, he's already been informed of that. A little mermaid flopped up on deck and told him the whole story." He chuckled. I walked over and stood in front of Lizzie.

"Just as I will tell your Commodore the whole story of just how well you've treated his fiancé." I closed the doors in the face of the now frightened officer, and turned to Lizzie who looked at me in frustration.

"This is Jack Sparrow's doing!" She yelled at me and I nodded.

"Yes you're probably right, but you don't need to shout." I scolded her slightly. She huffed for a moment before looking around.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not staying here and doing nothing. I need to find a way out of here. Are you coming or not?" She asked me in the way that she always asked me things when she knew I couldn't say no. I rolled my eyes.

"Fine." I began to look around with her when suddenly we heard a voice at the door.

"Baily? Elizabeth? I'd like to talk to you." Mr. Swann's voice came through the doors. We looked at each other and simultaneously pressed our fingers to our lips to stay silent. Lizzie tapped my arm and motioned to some spare sheets in a chest then to the window. I nodded and we got to work as Mr. Swann continued. We made the rope then tied it to a bolted down desk.

"I'll go first." I told Lizzie. I carefully slid out the window and made my way down the sheets as quickly as possible. When I got into the waiting longboat, I motioned for Lizzie to come down. She slid through and made her way down until we were in the boat.

"Alright, the _Black Pearl_ is that way." She pointed in the right direction. "We can get the pirates there, and then we'll go save Will." She told me the plan, however, it didn't seem like it was going to be all that easy.

The Pearl was empty on deck when we climbed over the railing.

"Barbossa and his crew must be in the cave still." I deduced and turned to be scared to death by the monkey. Lizzie glared and swiftly tossed it overboard. "Thank you." I grinned at her and she returned it until we saw two pirates stick their heads out of a cannon opening.

"Oh no." Lizzie groaned. I grabbed her arm and pulled her down the stairs where the Brigg was and pulled her to the side, waiting for the pirates to pass then hurrying down the rest of the stairs. We saw Gibbs stand at our presence.

"It's the Quartermaster, and Miss Elizabeth!" He told everyone in relief.

"Quartermaster?" Lizzie asked as I found the key.

"A lot happened while you were gone." I quickly unlocked the jail. "I had to save my favorite crew." I told them as they piled out and we ran on deck.

"They've taken Will to end the curse." Gibbs told me on our way up. Lizzie stopped us before we reached the deck. She gave us the plan to swing a boat and knock the two pirates off the ship. Half us waited below deck until we go the signal to go on deck.

"All of you with me." Lizzie began to work with the longboat. "Will is in that cave and we must save him. On three, one two, heave!" She turned and realized no one was helping her, not even me. Not because I wasn't going with her to save Will, I was, but I knew it would take more than just us to get the boat. "Please, we need your help!" She looked at them.

"Any port in the storm?" Cotton's parrot squawked.

"Cotton's right," Gibbs agreed though I wouldn't call that a solid argument, "We've got the Pearl."

"But what about Jack?" I asked them. I knew how much he wanted this ship.

"He owes us a ship." Marty reminded me.

"But his heart is in this ship." I spoke for their Captain.

"And there's the code to consider." Gibbs reminded me.

"You're pirates! Hang the code, and hang the rules! They're more like guidelines anyway." Lizzie shouted at them. They didn't move after a moment and I knew they weren't coming.

"Alright, at least give us a hand." I motioned to the boat and some of them helped put it in the water.

"I'm sorry ma'am." Anna-Maria came up to me.

"No it's the pirate way." I told her.

"You were the only one to treat me the same as the others." She told me.

"Well, I run I tight ship, no matter who's on it." I gave her a smirk then joined Lizzie on the boat. It was Lizzie's turn to row this time.

"Bloody pirates," She muttered then turned her focus to me, "And what exactly happened when you were searching for me? Quartermaster? Running a tight ship?"

"I had an adventure."

We got to the cave and immediately grabbed a weapon, jumping into the fight. I saw Lizzie hit a pirate and help Will while I banged swords with one of them. I saw Jack knock Barbossa down in the corner of my eye and spot me before continuing.

"Baily!" Will got my attention and I pushed the pirate in their direction, spearing him onto a pole with two other pirates. Will placed a bomb in the stomach of the one in the middle and we pushed them out of the moonlight. I guess there was another downside in being immortal. Will ran up to the chest as Barbossa got distracted, leaving Jack just enough time to put his blood onto the coin and toss it to Will. I began to run over when Barbossa pointed his gun at me. Jack looked at me wide eyed then shot Barbossa.

"Ten years you carry that pistol, now you waste your shot." Barbossa gripped at Jack.

"He didn't waste it." Will let his actions be known, and dropped the two coins into the chest. Barbossa looked down at his chest and saw his wound was indeed fatal for once since the curse had been put on.

"I feel… cold." His last words before he fell dead. I looked around at the others shocked.

"It's over." I broke the silence with a relieved laugh.

"Aye, luv." Jack joined in. Lizzie took a breath and walked to stand by herself. I ran up to Will and hugged him.

"You're so stupid, why did you do that?" I asked him. He returned it tightly.

"I couldn't let my sparring partner get hurt now could I?" He teased me.

"Surely not," I released him. "Speaking of which, did you see me? I was rather good back there." I told him proudly.

"I did see. You could use bit more practice on your footwork." He shared his observation, earning himself a smack on the arm. I looked over at Lizzie then back at Will.

"I believe you two need a word." I motioned with my head towards Lizzie before turning. I watched as Jack began picked through the gold. I carefully stepped down the hill of coins towards him.

"Clever, clever pirate." I praised him just as he put on a string of pearl necklaces. "You had me guessing until the end."

"What can I say? It's what I'm best at. But it was William, the honest one, who really added the mystery." Jack pointed to where Will was still getting the courage to talk to Lizzie.

"The honest ones are who I have to look out for then?" I asked as Jack took a seat in a golden chair.

"Aye, luv, they're sneaky little things." He picked up a goblet and examined it. "Lucky for you, I'm always dishonest, and you can always count on that." He told me pointedly. But I shook my head and picked up a bejeweled crown.

"I give you clever, funny, handsome," I listed as I made my way to him, letting him pull me into his lap, "but dishonest, not always. They might not think so, you might not think so, but," I took the crown and placed it onto his head, "you have a good heart, Jack Sparrow."

"So I'm a good pirate then?" He used my words against me with a smile.

"No, there are no such things as good pirates." I watched as his face faltered as if he expected as much. "You're a good man." I told him instead. "And I really like that about you."

"And you are quite a brilliant woman." He looked down at me intensely then looked around, changing the subject. "You should choose something, luv." But I turned his head back to mine. Reaching up, I pressed a kiss onto his cheek. Jack brought a hand up to my cheek and cupped it, then wound it into my hair. He hesitated then kissed my cheek tenderly, before reaching up and kissed my forehead. And that was it. He moved back after that.

"Thank you for taking me on this adventure, Captain." I told him quietly. He was clearly not very interested.

"I like you as well, more than I should." As if he knew what I was thinking. I was about to speak up when he stopped me. "I should get you back." I stood slowly and he followed my lead as we went to search for the others. We came around the corner just in time to hear Will notify Lizzie of his knowledge of her engagement.

"Your fiancé will want to know you are safe." He reminded her of her decision. I could see the heart break on her face as she went to the long boat.

"If you were waiting for the opportune moment," Jack went up to Will, "That was it." Jack pointed after her.

"She loves you, Will." I informed him of what we all knew. He looked torn with his emotion.

"Now, if you will be so kind as to drop me off at my ship." He asked and we all moved to the boat. I grabbed Jack's hands on the way and he looked down at me in surprise.

"I don't think I understand you as much as I thought." I motioned to where we were sitting before.

"I'm still waiting for the opportune moment, luv." He squeezed my hand then helped me into the boat. Will rowed us out of the cave and towards the Pearl, only to reveal it wasn't there.

"I'm sorry Jack." Lizzie apologized from behind us.

"They done what's right by them, can't expect much more than that." He looked at the empty space with longing. We began to move again, this time towards the Daughtless.

"You'll get your ship back, Captain Sparrow," I told him earnestly. "I know it."

**R&R**


	9. A Hanging On A Tuesday

**Sorry it's been a longer pause than usual between chapters.**

The morning after we returned felt foreign to me. I felt older and somehow wiser, like I had lived.

"I'm fine, Maria." I promised her as she squeezed me tightly.

"Did you have fun? Were you scared? Did you meet any pirates?" Molly asked me in a rush, causing Maria to glare at her.

"You do not know your place." Maria scolded Molly who looked down shamefully.

"I'm sorry Miss." She curtsied lightly.

"Maria, could you get me a glass of water please?" I asked and she curtsied once and left immediately. I turned to Molly who was still standing in her place, waiting for direction. "Molly," I got her attention.

"Yes Miss?"

"I had so much fun." I watched as her face lit up.

"Really?"

"Yes, and I was scared at first, but it was so exciting. And there were pirates everywhere. It was like being in a real life adventure story." I gushed to her. She hugged me in excitement and I returned it. "And Molly, please never learn your place." Suddenly a small dark figure raced into my room. It was a black and white puppy with floppy ears. I gave Molly a look but bent down to it anyway.

"He was supposed to be a surprise from the Governor before all of this. He arrived a week ago." Molly bent down to him as well as the dog rolled on his back so we could pet his stomach.

"I've always wanted a dog."

"I suppose that's why he got him for you. He really does love you like his own child, Baily." She told me sincerely. I nodded.

"I know. Now, what's his name?" I asked. She told me I could name him anything I wanted. I thought as I continued to pet him. He was so sweet and… darling.

"Breakfast is served." Maria came back in with a glass of water. I stood and I drank it quickly then handed her the glass, walking out the door. I paused and turned back to the puppy who was looking up at me. "Come along, Darling."

I greeted more of the staff on my way down. When I got to the table I saw Mr. Swann and Hamish. I kissed Mr. Swann's cheek then Hamish's. He looked at me strangely as I sat.

"You are in quite a mood after your ordeal." Hamish observed. Charlie sat a plate in front of me and I thanked him with a smile which he returned. "I was expecting you to sleep in like Elizabeth."

"Me sleep in?" I asked as I pulled my knees up into the chair. "I'm not dressed; I'd say that's uncharacteristic enough for me."

"That is true. However, Baily," Mr. Swann spoke gently, making me look up, "No one expects you to be yourself again so soon after such a traumatic experience." He still thought I had been kidnapped and everyone who knew otherwise agreed to keep it that way.

"I don't want to feel fragile any longer than I have to." It was a true statement. Whether I had been captured or not, everyone was treating me like I had been.

"I understand." He smiled and went back to his paper as usual.

"Not to mention I found this little surprise this morning." I looked down at the puppy who was still bouncing around beneath us.

"Have you given him a name?" Hamish asked with his nose in the paper.

"Darling."

"Darling?" Hamish looked up at me with a raised eyebrow. I suppose at this point I would usually change the name to something more appropriate, but the pirate life had left me feeling a bit more daring.

"Yes, because he is absolutely darling." I told him with absolute confidence before feeding Darling a small piece of meat. Hamish glanced at Mr. Swann who was beaming, before going back to business. I continued my breakfast until Charlie came in with a letter on a tray.

"Miss, a letter from Sir Dawson came a few weeks ago." Charlie let me take it them walked away.

_My Dearest Baily, _

_I must say that our distance is quite agitating. Some days I just want to see your face or hear your voice to comfort me. I must inform you however, that something has come up. My father is becoming more eager to know who will become my wife, if anyone at all. He has a plan for me, Baily, and I am not sure that he will let me make my own decision unless the decision matches his. It worries me that he will not let me become my own man. I fear that he will choose politics above my own happiness. One thing is certain, no matter what; you will always be dear to me. _

_With Love, _

_John_

I placed the letter down and continued my meal in thought. If he was going to propose to me, it was going to be soon. And if he wasn't going to propose to me, that would happen soon as well. Either way, our relationship was about to change dramatically. He couldn't send letters to a woman, who wasn't his wife, it wasn't proper, so we would either become newlyweds or distant acquaintances.

"How are things going with Sir Dawson?" Mr. Swann looked up from his paper.

"Would it be so terrible if I never married at all?" I asked aloud after a moment. They both looked up, slightly panicked at the question.

"Why? What did he say?" Mr. Swann asked eagerly.

"Oh, John's fine. In fact I think he may be making a decision on his engagement quite soon. I was just wondering." I took a bite of bread and Hamish looked back down at his papers, more relaxed now.

"You know it is proper for a young girl to marry, Baily." He reminded me.

"But what if I felt happiest on my own?"

"Do you feel happiest on your own?" Mr. Swann wondered, he did want me to be happy after all. I shook my head.

"Quite the opposite Uncle, I would rather not be alone." I looked down at my plate. Hamish spoke calmly, never removing his focus from his work.

"Do not confuse being alone with being lonely, my dear."

/

There were only so many favors a Commodore could do for his fiancé and pardoning a well-known and wanted pirate was where James drew the line with Lizzie. Jack was scheduled to be hung three days after we arrived at the fort again so everything could be prepared. We were having visitors at every second of every day it felt like and at one point I just needed a rest. I snuck out the back door and down the wooded path to the Mill. I pressed on the back door to open it like I usually did but it was locked. I reached up and knocked. I heard shuffling and quick footsteps before the door opened to reveal a disheveled Will.

"What are you doing? The door is never locked." I asked as he pulled me inside, locking the door again behind me.

"I know what I've said about pirates before but Jack is a good man and he doesn't deserve to be hung." Will announced as if he had really been thinking about this.

"I agree." I nodded briefly. Will went to a shelf and pulled out some papers, laying them on the work table.

"That's why I'm going to help him escape." He pointed to his plans. There was a picture of the hanging scaffold and drawings of where everyone was going to be standing. I looked over his shoulder as he explained. "I'll make my way through the crowd, take the stage, and cut him loose. Then Jack can escape." He explained. I thought it through then shook my head.

"No,"

"I know it's illegal but,"

"You have to account for the extra guards." I cut him off. I wanted to save my favorite pirate as much as Will, if not more. Will looked at me in surprise but let me contribute. "You'll have to be quick and not so obvious so they don't know where to go first." We continued to plan until we had the most efficient plan that would work at Will's hand. He insisted that this was one adventure I shouldn't be part of and, for Mr. Swann's sake, I had to agree.

"That should do it." Will made the final note.

"And what about you?" I put a hand on his shoulder. What was he going to do when it was all done? What if he got caught?

"Elizabeth is marrying the Commodore. You're my best friend but, besides that, the only thing I have left to look forward to in Port Royal is a few lessons here and there and maybe taking over the Mill." He shrugged.

"So you'll go with Jack?" I understood what he was saying. He gave me a soft smile.

"Maybe I'll make a good pirate." He shrugged once more. I nodded and wrapped my arms around him in a hug.

"In case I don't see you, I'll miss you oh so much." I squeezed him tightly.

"I'll miss you as well, but I will never forget you."

I left Will and decided to make my way to the prison. I bought my usual pastries on the way but saved a few for Jack. After our adventure, I had become quite good at sneaking around, and made my way past the officers at the prison, though it was only the impressionable Murtogg, then quickly down the steps. I got a few propositions from the prisoners as I looked for my real target.

"There you are." I greeted Jack at the very last cell in the hall. He stood at the sight of me and came to the bars.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered.

"Bringing you this." I pulled away the cloth on the goods and passed one through the bars. He took it, only looking at it. "Don't worry; Will and I are going to save your life. You don't deserve to be in here. As far as I'm concerned, you deserve to be honored." He looked up at me in surprise, confusion, and then… disappointment? "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" He stepped back from the bars.

"As if I've done something wrong." I clarified and waited for moment as he paused.

"Why didn't you tell me, luv?" Jack asked me in a low voice. I looked at him confused. "Is it because I'm just a pirate?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked as he stepped farther away from me.

"You're a betrothed woman, Baily. You're going back to the Governor's mansion, and you're going to marry a high society whelp and you never said a word." He told me what he had heard and I stood, stunned. I opened my mouth but he stopped me. "The Commodore said it all."

"Jack," But he shook his head.

"I understand luv, you don't need to explain. I'm not upset; I was just fond of you is all." He grabbed my hand and kissed it. "Have a nice life Baily." He sat and pulled his hat down, no longer participating in the conversation. I turned slowly and walked up the stairs, almost ignoring Murtogg when I got into the street again.

"Miss? What are you doing?" He stopped, partially concerned, partially suspicious. I couldn't even think straight so I just held up the pastries.

"A thank you to all the officers who saved me and my cousin's lives." I watched as he took it with a large smile and a thank you. On my way home, I thought about how much I disliked James Norrington at the moment, but more so how I disliked myself. Did I really lead Jack on because he was a pirate and I assumed he wouldn't mind? I refused to believe it. I wasn't leading him on, I really adore him. It was honest and I didn't have false intentions. And I wasn't even engaged! I got back to the estate and our house was finally silent for the most part.

"Miss, the Lawrence family is in the parlor and dinner will be served shortly." Charlie informed me.

"Will they be staying?" I wasn't in the mood to be the Governor's niece that night.

"I am not certain, but I can ask."

"Don't bother, Charlie, I will be taking my dinner in my room tonight and if there are any questions about it, just say that I am in need of rest."

The next day I didn't feel much like seeing people or pretending to be happy. I just wanted to lay in bed and maybe read a book, which was what was happening until Lizzie walked in after breakfast. I didn't even get to great her before she crossed her arms and gave me a look.

"If I can marry James, you can get out of bed for breakfast." She told me with attitude.

"I would like to argue that the man that I actually like is going to be put to death tomorrow and you are marrying a high society man who loves you. I would not call that equal." I pointed out. Lizzie came over and sat on the edge of my bed.

"What about John?" She asked me hopefully.

"I'm beginning to think that he won't be able to stand up for me if his father doesn't agree with me as his choice. I also never see him and am beginning to forget what he looks like. Were his eyes green or brown?" I thought back to when we had first met.

"I believe they were blue." Lizzie corrected me.

"Oh yeah," I remembered. "Not to mention he prefers Swift to Pope and Marlowe to Shakespeare because Shakespeare's humor is 'too middle class.'" I quoted him directly. Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"Baily, you're making up reasons now."

"I just want to make everyone happy, but also be happy myself. How do I do that?" I asked her. She put a hand over mine.

"You don't."

/

We dressed nicely for Jack's hanging. I looked out the window as our carriage made its way to the event. James was coming with us, so we quite snug. When we arrived I noticed the crowd.

"It is quite morbid isn't it? We all gather around and watch a man's neck snap on a Tuesday afternoon." I commented, making everyone's head turn to me and Lizzie give me a nudge. "No, you're right, it's quite romantic." We all got out of the carriage and took our places to watch behind the crowd. I watched as Jack was brought onto the stage. He looked more bored and annoyed than anything.

"This is wrong." Lizzie declared from her spot.

"Commodore Norrington is bound by the law, as are we all." Mr. Swann reminded us. The drums began to beat steadily as his crimes began to be read against him.

"Jack Sparrow," The cleric began and I couldn't help but want to correct him. He would always be my Captain. I watched as Jack did so, on the scaffold. He looked through the crowd then his eyes reached mine. I tried to communicate an apology to him. I looked down pitifully for a moment then back up at him. He seemed to understand because he nodded then gave me a reassuring smile. "…impersonating a cleric of the Church of England…" I had to bite my lip to hide my smile as Jack laughed. Suddenly I noticed colorful movement out the corner of my eye. Mr. Cotton's parrot? That drew my attention to a large feathered hat coming our way, Will!

"Governor Swann, Commodore, Baily," He greeted us then looked to Lizzie, "Elizabeth, I should have told you every day since the moment I met you, I love you." Mr. Swann and James looked to Lizzie in surprise while I beamed in excitement. The plan was about to take place. Will began to push through the crowd, making James step forward in alarm, when all of sudden Lizzie gasped and fell to the ground. That was not part of the plan.

"Lizzie," I kneeled next to her.

"Elizabeth!" Mr. Swann drew the attention back to her and I immediately knew what she was doing. There was a scream and I looked to see Will throw his sword just as the drums stopped. Jack fell, but only half way. I breathed a sigh of relief and Lizzie sat up again. James looked up and followed my gaze and saw Jack, immediately taking off in the direction. Mr. Swann sighed and shook his head. He looked up at me and I shrugged innocently. We all watched intently and moved with the action as Will and Jack fought their way through the officers until they were surrounded. Lizzie and I followed Mr. Swann to where they were.

"On our return to Port Royal I granted you clemency, and this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him? He's a pirate!" We heard Mr. Swann say, presumably talking to Will. I pushed my way to the front to see them both.

"And a good man!" Will defended him as he dropped his sword. "If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, then so be it." I gapped at the thought of Will being strung up. "At least my conscious will be clear."

"You forget your place." James took a threatening step forward.

"It's right here, between you, and Jack." Will didn't back down. I looked around then stepped forward with Will.

"As is mine."

"Baily," Mr. Swann gasped.

"If the laws can condemn two good men, they'll have to condemn me too for believing in them." I spoke my piece but gulped at the thought of being hung.

"And mine." Lizzie stepped forward and grabbed Will's hand.

"Lower your weapons!" Mr. Swann ordered. "For God's sake, put them down!" And everyone removed the threat at once, James as well.

"So this is where your heart truly lies?" He asked Lizzie, sadly.

"It is." She nodded. Jack looked down at me with slight surprise.

"What? I told you I owed you a favor." I reminded him and he just smirked at me then noticed the parrot flying out into the ocean. "I told you you'd get your ship too."

"Well aren't you good luck?" He looked around then stepped out from behind Will. "I feel rather good about this. I think we all arrived at a very special place, eh?" He leaned into Mr. Swann, making him grimace. "Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically." He went over to James. "I want you to know that I was rooting for you mate, know that." He was about to walk past Lizzie, Will, and I, but not without having a word. "Elizabeth, it would have never worked between us darling." He walked a bit more then turned. "Will, nice hate." He walked up to the ledge and I almost felt a sinking feeling at not receiving a last word. He was about to make what I assumed would be his grand finale, when he spotted me again. "I'll never forget you, luv. Stay lively."

"Aye, aye Captain." I smiled at him but let it fall quickly under the disbelieving glare of Mr. Swann.

"Remember the day that you," And suddenly he was gone. The bloody pirate fell over the ledge and into the water. I yelped and ran to the ledge to see him resurface.

"He has nowhere to go except back to the noose." A soldier said smugly. I was beginning not to like him. We watched as a ship, no, _The Black Pearl_, came around the bend. The soldier looked to James. "What's your plan of action, Sir?" James stood slack for a moment. Jack really was the best pirate we had ever seen. Mr. Swann looked over to James.

"Perhaps on the rare occasion pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself may be the right choice?"

"Mr. Turner!" James turned after a pause and went to Will.

"I accept the consequences of my actions." Will told Lizzie who looked worried. I looked to James, hoping he would choose the right thing, and held my breath as Will stepped forward and James pulled out his weapon.

"This is a beautiful sword; I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life." I let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." Will nodded.

"Commodore!" Gillette called, "What about Sparrow?"

"I think we can afford to give him one day's head start." James smiled and walked away. However, I'd say Jack is long gone. Mr. Swann walked up to us as everyone cleared out.

"So this is the path you've chosen, is it?" He asked Lizzie, "After all he is a blacksmith."

"No," Lizzie took off his hat, "He's a pirate." I couldn't help but smile happily as they shared their first kiss. I linked my arm with Mr. Swann as we slowly walked away from them.

"What an exciting day." I commented, leaning on him happily.

"Yes, but please do try to refrain from throwing yourself in front of dozens of guns in the future, my heart can only take so much." He patted my hand.

"Mine as well; I certainly won't be doing that any time soon."

"Good."

"I would like to see these laws, however. I'm bound by them, and protected by them, and I don't even know what they are." I admitted.

"Well, Hamish know quite a bit on legislation and we should have a book of them in the library if you really would like to know."

"Yes I would. And where is Hamish? I actually would like him around for once." We shared a laugh and made our way back to the carriage.

A few days later I sat in the drawing room playing with Darling when I got the news.

"Go fetch it." I tossed a small ball across the room from my place on the floor and he scampered to get it as Charlie came in with a letter in hand.

"From Sir Dawson, Miss." He handed it to me with a knowing smile. I took it as Darling raced over to Charlie.

"Thank you Charlie. And could you bring a,"

"Treat for Darling?" He finished my sentence as he took a biscuit from behind his back. I began the letter with a smile as Charlie bent down to the dog.

_My Dearest Baily,_

_I love you and I do not want what I am about to tell you. Word has reached London about the pirate scandal that has happened in Port Royal rather quickly. My father does not believe that a scandal such as this will be a good thing to have associated to our name. He is refusing to let me choose you as a wife and instead insists I marry a girl from Spain in attempt to show that we are allies. Please do not think that I view you as any lesser because of this. You are still as wonderful and as brilliant as when I met you and I so want to see you again. I do not know if this is possible, if my father will allow it. _

I finished the rest of the letter quickly. It was a lot of apologies and what not. I looked up to see Charlie still petting Darling. It felt like my world had stopped but in fact it had only been a few moments. There were so many people expecting something grand, something good from the house guest besides a few laughs and a pleasant face. Mr. Swann would be so disappointed. But what was stranger, was that I couldn't help but think of Jack. He never had a reason to be upset with me, but I was innocent now more than ever. Charlie stood from his place and asked me,

"Anything else Miss?"

"Yes, when Hamish comes for lunch please let him know that I am in the drawing room." I told him, and he nodded before leaving. I sat up on a chair and slowly put my face in my hands as I began to sob. I stopped after a while and just sat quietly until the door opened and Hamish stepped in, closing it behind him.

"What has happened?" He noticed my silence and rightfully took it as a sign. I held out the letter to him and he took it.

"I won't be marrying Sir Dawson of London for he is marrying Anna Loren of Spain instead." I watched as he read it.

"Dammit!" He tossed it onto the table in frustration, making me flinch.

"I'm sorry," I apologized honestly. "I do not know what I did wrong."

"It wasn't you, it was politics."

Hamish told me it was my duty to tell Mr. Swann and no one else's. I was not to let my problems control me. That night, I made sure Lizzie was in her room before walking to his study. He was looking at documents in front of the fire, no doubt about our escaped pirate. I knocked on the door and let my presence be known before coming in.

"Baily, what are you doing up at this late hour?" He sat the papers down as I came over. I lowered myself and sat next to his seat on the floor.

"John Dawson does not want to marry me." I told him quietly, tears already stinging my eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked me. I shook my head as the tears spilled over.

"I'm sorry. He won't marry me, his father won't let him." I buried my face into the arm of his chair and bawled.

"Shh," I felt his hand smooth down my hair, trying to sooth me. "Look at me." I lifted my head to him.

"I'm so sorry," I told him again but he shook his head.

"Don't apologize. I'm not upset with you. If he chooses not to marry you, he is a fool." He looked me in the eyes. "You are a special girl, my dear, and you will need a special man who will fight for you, understand?" I nodded and he kissed the top of my head. He sat up straight then separated his stake in half. "Now, you wanted to learn about legislation?"

/

"He's an idiot and we shall never have them over again." Lizzie declared calmly as she placed a card down on the table between her and Will. He was actually spending time with both of us together and I liked it. It was only a bonus that he could play cards better than Lizzie and she would lose for once. I sat on the sofa and watched the two in slight wonder.

"A complete moron." Will agreed as he picked her card up.

"Calm down you two, for all you know this marriage could be good for the people." I tried to look at the positive side of this. It had been weeks since the letter and I had been preoccupying myself with Lizzie's wedding and books, lots of books. I was becoming well-read concerning lots of things and I was quite good at it. Today however, the newspaper announced the engagement of the two and everyone acted very put off by it for my sake. I believe they all may have been more upset with John then I was.

"He hurt you, an unspeakable act." Will commented then laid down his cards in victory. Lizzie glared at him playfully.

"Best three of five, Mr. Turner." She challenged and he nodded.

"Anything for you, Elizabeth." He smiled at her lovingly. I was happy for them. They were lovely together. I picked up the newspaper again to avoid seeming any more acts of tenderness than I had to.

"Have you read the Cutler Beckett is now a Lord? Odd really, I thought he'd for sure be run out by Livingston." Suddenly the paper was ripped from me hands by Lizzie.

"Enough with newspaper and the politics in England, we want to have fun today. Do you remember what that is?" She asked.

"You used to be so good at it." Will added and I shook my head at them both.

"You two together are trouble." I laughed as I moved to the floor and let Darling jump into my lap. "Watch her sleeves, Mr. Turner."

**Review please! **


	10. A Lady Or A Pirate

It should be put on paper how quickly Lizzie's wedding convened. She hardly had to lift a finger either, that should also be put on paper. There was to be a ceremony at the large church on the port and a gathering after. There were people from all over coming. Well, the people who could afford to go to the governor's events and tolerated the mixing of statuses. All I had to do was sit back and answer why I wasn't getting married yet whenever it was asked. I was older than Lizzie after all. She was barely twenty years while I was newly twenty four years. I didn't mind though. My thoughts were occupied by a certain pirate and I hardly minded.

"Are you listening to me, Baily?" Lizzie brought my attention back to her.

"Yes, of course." I smiled at her. We were sitting under our favorite tree for what I felt would be one of our last times. It wasn't proper for a married woman to continue to act as a child. It really wasn't proper for us to be acting like children either.

"I thought it would be harder than this." Lizzie admitted almost disappointedly.

"Well you are the only daughter of the Governor of Port Royal, a thriving town under the King's name. You're quite special." I reminded her.

"Ms. Swann," We both turned to see Charlie calling from the paved path, "Mr. Turner is here."

"Oh, let's greet him." Lizzie turned to me but I only smiled.

"That's alright you go. I'll catch up later." I insisted.

"Are you sure?" She asked as she stood and I nodded.

"Yes, of course, go." With that, she went to go see her fiancé.

"Anything for you Ms.?" Charlie asked me.

"Let Darling out, please."

"Yes ma'am." He nodded and went back to the house. I was feeling so happy for Lizzie and Will. They glowed with love whenever they were near each other. Not many people marry for that. In fact, they marry for much less. Lizzie doesn't know how lucky she is. I desire the same thing when I marry, but I don't expect it which I suppose is quite sad. I can't help but think of Captain Sparrow along with all of this. I've long given up on pretending I don't fancy him. He was attractive, eccentric, more of a gentleman than can be expected from a pirate, and very funny, which was something I hadn't thought to be a deciding factor. I often wondered if he thought of me as well. He does still think that I am betrothed to another man and I wouldn't get to tell him otherwise.

"Here you are Ms.!" I turned to see Charlie put Darling down on the grass and he came running to me.

"Thank you, Charlie." I waved and welcomed Darling with open arms. At least I had one man in my life. I scratched behind Darling's ears. "You love me don't you, Darling? And you would never let me go, hm?" He licked my face in response which I chose to mean 'I love you' and 'absolutely not'.

Everything happens for a reason. That's what I've been telling Lizzie in order to keep her calm, but that certainly hadn't worked. It was the day of her wedding and, with no exaggeration, everything was ruined. It wasn't even noon and the waters were dark, the winds were strong, the lightning was magnificently exuberant, and the thunder was as if the Lord himself wanted the wedding to come to a halt. Now everyone, the guests, Hamish, Mr. Swann and I were under the church awning while Lizzie kneeled unabashedly and dramatically at the altar, not caring that she was getting rained on. And where was William Turner during all of this? No one had any idea.

"She'll become ill out there." Mr. Swann fidgeted beside me.

"Where is that boy? Saying he is late is quite the understatement." On the other side of me, Hamish pulled out his pocket watch and opened it once again. This had been his routine every five minutes for the past hour.

"Uncle, if she doesn't come in soon I'll go get her." I turned to Hamish. "William Turner wouldn't miss this for the entire world."

"Then he must have gotten offered more than the world because he is in fact missing this." Hamish snapped back.

"Then why doesn't someone go get him?" I gave him a pressing look just as something strange happened. A cluster of soldiers marched someone into the wedding. It was hard to see from the crowd but when Lizzie jumped up and ran forward, I knew it was Will. We forced our way through the crowd; Mr. Swann was first, until we got to the front and were stopped by guards.

"How dare you? Stand your men down at once!" Mr. Swann demanded as Hamish and I came beside him. "Do you hear me?" Suddenly a slightly petite man with a wig on as well turned to us.

"Governor Weatherby Swann it's been too long. Ah, Hamish, you're here too." He sounded quite arrogant already. I turned to see Will in handcuffs.

"Are you alright?" I asked him quietly and he nodded when I heard a familiar name.

"Cutler Beckett?" Mr. Swann looked the man over while I looked at him in surprise.

"It's Lord now, actually." Beckett corrected Mr. Swann. This was the man Livingston had lost to. The guards removed their weapons and let Mr. Swann step through.

"Lord or not, you have no reason and no authority to arrest this man." He pointed at Will.

"In fact I do." Beckett corrected him once again before calling over a man named Mercer who was holding a stack of documents. Beckett pulled one out and handed it to Mr. Swann. "The warrant for the arrest of a one William Turner."

"This is a warrant for Elizabeth Swann." Mr. Swann read in horror.

"Is it? That's annoying, arrest her." Beckett gave the order and Lizzie was promptly handcuffed.

"Under what charges?" Lizzie gasped the question that we all wanted the answer to, and that I felt I already knew the answer to.

"This is the warrant for William Turner." He handed him another one. "And luckily she's present, a warrant for a Baily Hart." He handed him another one. "Arrest her." He nodded to me and I was quickly handcuffed as well. "And I have another one for a Mr. James Norrington, is he present." Beckett waved the warrant as if it was a prize to be won.

"James resigned his position months ago. He's not here." I finally found my voice and my knowledge. "And seeing as we are under the jurisdiction of the King's Governor of Port Royal, you will tell us what our charges are and the resulting punishments." I told him, emitting a gasp from the crowd.

"The charges are," Mr. Swann began, "Conspiring to set free a man convicted of crimes against the crown of empire and condemned to death, in which," Mr. Swann trailed off in what seemed to be disbelief.

"In which the punishment is regrettably also death." Beckett finished for him then stepped up. "You may remember a man by the name of Jack Sparrow." Lizzie and Will went on to correct him while I felt numb. We were to be hung? To our demise? We were led to the courthouse where we were read our charges properly, and then led to prison. Our hangings were to be announced.

"This is unbelievable." I muttered for the first time in what seemed like hours after Lizzie and I were thrown in cells apart from each other.

"Truly," Lizzie agreed through the wall, "And of all days, my wedding day." She added, though for the first time I could stand to tell her to shut up about it.

"We are going to die. To be put to death." I repeated our punishment. This was ridiculous.

"We've hardly even lived yet." Lizzie shakily pointed out which meant that she was about to begin to sob and there was nothing I could do about it, especially not through a wall. This was going to be a long night.

Hamish and Mr. Swann visited the next morning, mostly for comfort. The charges were just and the punishment was right. There wasn't anything we could do; in fact, it seemed that we had done enough.

"Are you alright?" Hamish asked me through the bars while I paced and Mr. Swann was trying to stay presentable for Lizzie. I stopped pacing and moved closer to the bars.

"Tell me I was silly for trying to rescue a pirate but you'll find me a way out of this situation." I asked quietly. To my surprise, Hamish leaned in and pressed a kiss on my forehead.

"I wish could, because I would do it in a heartbeat." His sincerity stunned me but was welcome any day. "I want you to know that I was only hard on you because if I wasn't, you'd never be strong like you needed to be. People like us, people without knowledge of who they come from, have it more difficult in a world like this." Before I could question him, the doors opened and two guards came down. I recognized them, Murtogg and Mullroy.

"Lord Beckett wishes to see Ms. Hart." Murtogg announced and immediately came to my cell and unlocked it.

"What on Earth for?" Mr. Swann asked as they put handcuffs on me again.

"Sorry, Governor, confidential." Mullroy seemed apologetic as I got one last look at my family before being led out of the prison. We all got into a carriage and sat quietly as it began to move.

"What exactly does he want?" I finally spoke up to one or the other, it didn't matter which. I could feel them glance at each other before Murtogg sighed.

"Alright, all we know is that Mr. Turner went in early this morning…" And they went on to tell me everything I needed to know which contradicted them starting with, 'all we know is'. When I was walked into Beckett's office I felt more confident than before. He was sitting at his desk and looked up when I was brought in. He folded his hands at the sight of me.

"The lady does not require restraints, gentlemen." Beckett said the words and the action of removing my handcuffs were set in motion. Mullroy and Murtogg didn't need to be told after that to leave the room.

"Thank you for the kindness, Milord." I curtsied deeply.

"Tell me, is this fun for you? Because you are terrifyingly good at it." His words made me straighten up in confusion.

"Pardon me, Milord?" I watched him chuckle then lean back in his chair.

"Do you know what they call you, the pirates? Baily Black Heart. Now, with a name like that, I can only wonder whether you have pretended to be a ruthless pirate, or whether you are pretending to be a lady. You seem to be magnificent at both given the rumors." He was just so smug which impelled my decision that I was going to be hung either way, so I may as well be ruthless.

"I, for one, quite like the name. Those pirates are a clever lot aren't they? The play on words is just," I trailed off as I began to walk around.

"So which is it? A lady or a pirate?" Beckett's eyes followed my moves as I touched the different trinkets. When in doubt, act like Jack Sparrow.

"If I were a lady, I suppose I wouldn't be getting hung. But if I was a pirate, I suppose I'd already be hung. How about you let your imaginings run wild and in the end, _you_ can tell _me_." I offered him and silently began a game in which we were opponents.

"Heart of black or gold, it doesn't matter. I have a proposition for you." I heard his chair move and footsteps.

"Yes I am aware." I turned and moved past him as he was making his way to me.

"And how do you know this?" He wondered as I made my way to his map.

"Lord Beckett, I know everything." I admit it was a bit much but I like to be enigmatic at times. He came and stood beside me.

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow, more in amusement than as a result of being impressed.

"Yes, you see, you believe, or you want everyone to believe you believe that the Golden Age of Piracy, as you put it, is coming to an end. More importantly you believe or, again, would like everyone to believe you believe that that you'll be the end to all this pillaging and plundering." I thought back to the papers not too long ago.

"You know my politics well, and what do you think?" He asked with some pride. I turned to him, unimpressed.

"I prefer Livingston." I turned and went towards the desk, "I prefer the gradual end to piracy. This East India Trading Company is a self-serving solution. Everyone gives in, the company becomes a monopoly, and when the fog clears no one will be able to say no to the business men they've handed their livelihood over to. Feels an awful lot like piracy if you ask me." I took a seat in his desk chair. Beckett came over and sat on the edge beside me.

"You know, Baily, you are rather appealing. You're pretty, smart, intuitive, maybe a bit much for marrying man, hm _miss_?" He pointed out my lack of a husband, making me glower at him.

"I suppose that's why you didn't offer me a drink like you did William? I'm quite hurt, even if he didn't take it." I watched as Beckett looked at me, disordered. "When I said everything, I did mean everything." I reminded him of my statement. "Now, I know you want the compass but my only question is why do you need me when William is certainly going to go to the ends of the Earth for his fiancé?"

"I believe that Mr. Turner has the motive, but Baily Black Heart has the pull." He admitted. I leaned back in the chair and looked at him. After a moment he spoke up and moved to stand,

"Would you like a-"

"No, sit." I told him and he returned to his position. "I know that you don't think I will do this without proper incentive."

"Of course not, I offer the freedom from being bound by the brand of a pirate."

"Not enough." I told him immediately. "In fact, can I choose where you put it?" I moved my hair to the side, revealing more shoulder and making him turn a little pink. "Don't undermine me Lord Beckett; you don't know what color my heart is." He turned his head to look out over his balcony in thought.

"Do you have a price?" He asked, realizing that he actual was bargaining with a young woman, possibly a pirate.

"You wouldn't be able to afford me." I concluded quickly. After another moment, he fully turned to me.

"I will pardon your cousin and her fiancé." He offered.

"And what of me?" I inquired.

"Well, I can only write so many pardons."

"And I assume the one for Sparrow cost quite a bit." I could only imagine.

"You have no idea."

"I think I do." I was literally in line for the gallows because I assisted the Captain.

"You can choose where I put the brand, just like you asked, and perhaps I'll turn a blind eye if only Turner returns with the compass." He was going to let me escape.

"And when will these letters of mark be delivered?" I asked him. I knew my legislature.

"I will draw two up and send a letter tonight to the King. By the time the compass arrives, they will too." Beckett looked at me expectantly until I stood, extending my hand.

"You have an accord."

After everything was completed, I was brought into another room where Will was looking out the window.

"Will!" I raced to him and he pulled me into a tight hug whilst I tried not to wince.

"Baily, what are you doing here?" He looked me over.

"Beckett asked me to help you find the compass." And that was what I was going to tell everyone. They didn't need to know about any pardons or deals.

"Really?"

"Yes, and I said I would. Jack can help us save Lizzie if nothing else." Will agreed, and we were off again to start yet another necessary adventure. Our first stop was the prison to see everyone and say goodbyes.

"You can't be in here." A guard tried to stop us but Mr. Swann told him differently while Will explained everything to Lizzie.

"Uncle," I reached for Mr. Swann's hand, "I'm leaving with Will. We're going to find Jack and bring him here in exchange for our freedom."

"What? No." He immediately disagreed and turned to Will. "We will find our own avenue to freedom."

"Is that a lack of faith in Jack or in me?" Will asked him. Their relationship wasn't the best.

"That you would risk your life to save Sparrow's does not mean he would do the same for you," He turned to me, "Or you," He looked at me with such worry it made my heart ache. "Or anyone else. Now, where's the dog with the keys?" Mr. Swann went looking for him while Will and Lizzie said their goodbyes. When they were finished I went over.

"I have faith in you." Lizzie told me. "You can do this, just be safe." I nodded.

"I can say the same for you." I told her with a smile. "I'll get you your freedom, Lizzie."

"I know you will." I kissed her forehead before Will and I took off. We went to the mill and I changed into the clothes I used to swordfight in and we each got a sword. It was sunset by the time we made it to the docks and bartered a passage with a fishing boat. Our first destination was Tortuga and, although piracy was illegal, Tortuga was one of the last free ports. If you didn't stop there as a merchant, you were missing a grand opportunity for profit. We went below deck with the cargo where there was a little boy binding fishing nets. When we finally got settled, Will sat next to me.

"I didn't think to ask at the time, but why did Beckett ask you to help me?"

"Well, apparently those rumors from way back when worked a bit too well." I chuckled. "He thinks I have pull in the pirate world, and maybe he's right." I shrugged. Will shook his head.

"Of course he's right. If Jack was going to do something he didn't want to do, it would be for you if anyone." Will agreed, making me turn to look at him.

"What do you mean?"

"You should have seen the way he looked at you. It was the way I looked at Elizabeth before we got engaged and I just longed after her." He smirked at me then pulled me into a hug. "I'm glad you're here. You give me hope that our problems can be solved."

"You give me too much credit." Pushing him off me playfully, I turned to the little boy with the net. "Hello."

"Yeah?" He looked up at me briefly.

"If you teach me to do that, I'll help you." I motioned to the way he was tying the ropes together.

"Alright then Ms." He nodded and patted the crate next to him. While I was learning to tie knots, Will made a makeshift bed and decided to get some rest.

"Long day for you two?" The boy, Peter, nodded to Will who was fast asleep.

"Unbelievably."

**R&R**

**I'll take this time to do a sort of Author's Note so skip this if you want.**

**First, sorry for the delay. I have been working a lot of hours all at once which I don't know how that happened. I just graduated Saturday so yay! I was going to update Monday morning but my computer shut off and I had to completely retype this entire chapter so that sucked. Now, you all have been asking me a lot of questions as well which is great. Just to answer a few…**

**Am I going to have a sequel? As you can tell I'm starting the second movie in this chapter. I don't like separating sequels unless the story gets too long. I don't know if I'm doing the fourth movie because it's a bit off course and OOC for Baily to just leave Elizabeth.**

**As for things that will happen in the way future, I generally write a movie or a season at a time so I don't know about many things far out. BUT who knows what I'll change.**

**I know what my profile says but I have a lot of time on my hands now so I'm going to be writing all summer. I also have a lot of the second and third movie written and planned it should be smooth sailing.**

**Thanks a lot, Review!**


	11. Long Pork

Jack Sparrow is someone Maria would compare to a loose cannon on a ship. He is outlandish, a bit crazy, and emphatically unpredictable. Normally these would be things I quite liked about him, but in this instance, it made our searching nothing but aggravating.

"This is the fifth stop we've made and nothing. No one has seen or knows anything about Jack Sparrow!" Will kicked a barrel in frustration. He was right. The fishing boat had stopped at five ports and either everyone was lying, or Jack Sparrow hadn't made port for a while after he escaped Port Royal seeing as we had been at sea for over a month now. I sighed and walked back to the ship. I couldn't hold it against him, every day we didn't find Jack, was another day Lizzie was in prison. It was very exasperating.

"No luck, lass?" Silas, the captain of the fishing vessel we had been staying on, asked as I walked onto the deck. It was a blessing the fishermen allowed us on at all, not that it went without payment. Will was expected to clean the deck and help with heavy lifting, while I, still having very little talent on a ship, just stayed with Peter, the little boy who tied the nets. It was a job that I could now do very well. The crew was small but tough and hardworking as well as surprisingly nice. After a while, however, it was like having many different but close friends.

"No," I went over to a crate and sat, "I have a feeling that if our friend went anywhere, it was only Tortuga." We tried to keep the fact we were looking for an infamous pirate a secret in order lessen the likelihood of future problems. Silas leaned against the mast and eyed me.

"I know you said this fellow needs to be found, but you haven't said who he is to you." He cut a piece off of an apple with a knife, awaiting my answer. It felt strange talking to the man. He was a nice enough man, but I was expected to call him captain and, I hadn't realized it before, but I only liked to call Jack that.

"We got in a sort of terrible predicament a while ago, me and Will, and he helped us. Then we did him a favor in return and,"

"You're hoping he will come through again?" He finished for me and I nodded. The crew came back aboard, Will included, and we were off again before nightfall with Tortuga only about a week away. It was nightfall when I decided to retire for the night. Will was already in his hammock when I walked in. I didn't say anything as I tried to get myself in a somewhat comfortable position. I had become spoiled by beds and as a result, hated hammocks.

"Baily?" Will broke the silence in the room.

"Yes?" I was still distracted by the predicament at hand. I had fallen out of my hammock many times before and was willing to sleep on the floor.

"I apologize for shouting earlier. I was frustrated. I am frustrated."

"I never held it against you, Will, I understand. I love her too." I reminded him before sighing and giving up on finding comfort. "I accept defeat so goodnight Will." I heard him laugh from his place.

"Goodnight, Baily."

/

"We're almost there, Miss; Tortuga's in the horizon." Silas informed me about a week later.

"Thank you, sir." I nodded to him and he walked away while Peter looked to me with a slight smirk.

"Going to finally find your pirate, yeah?" He asked me. I had never told him Jack was a pirate. I had just told him we were looking for a friend.

"And how did you know that I was looking for a pirate?" I asked him from over the net I was almost done with. It didn't surprise me though. Peter was smart for a boy of ten years. In some ways, he knew more about life than I did. He grew up on his boat with his dad. His mother ran off with some scallywag, or that's what Peter says. He's been learning how to fish here and there but he isn't big enough to handle all of the work just yet.

"You're headin' to Tortuga, ma'am, ain't nobody there but pirates." He chuckled.

"It may seem like there _isn't_ _anyone_ there except for pirates, but the whole port isn't full of them all of the time." I chuckled as he rolled his eyes at my corrections. "You are correct; however, he is a pirate."

"Is he a great pirate? Is he rich? Does he got a ship and whatnot?" He asked me several questions at once. I leaned in and lowered my voice.

"If I tell you who I'm looking for, you can't tell anyone, understand?" Peter nodded eagerly and I whispered it in his ear, leaving him gaping.

"Are you serious?!" He looked more excited than I was. I nodded before standing and finding Will so we could gather our things. We would be in Tortuga within the hour.

After saying goodbye to Peter, Silas and the rest of the crew, we set out to the Faithful Bride in hopes of catching a glimpse of Jack but more so to get our thoughts together.

"Where should we begin?" Will took a drink of his ale while I nursed a very questionable mug of water.

"I think we should start at the docks. If nothing else, someone had to have seen the Pearl." I reminded him and he nodded.

"Good place to start." He took another gulp and I smiled at him.

"Perhaps we should start this journey temperate?" I suggested, and he lowered his drink while shaking his head.

"On the contrary, I think I needed this in order to withstand the rest of the journey."

"No worries, Will. I understand. You were supposed to be married by now. You were supposed to be related to me and I can only imagine how heartbroken you are that that hasn't happened yet." We shared a laugh before heading towards the docks again. "How much money do you have on your person?"

"Why?" He looked down at me curiously.

"We're amongst pirates and the real businessmen here, nothing comes without a price." And just as I had expected, every notion cost a coin, not that it was worth it, of course, because in the end we just landed ourselves in a room at an inn with dozens of different ideas to choose from. Some thought he was dead, in Singapore, in jail, in Tortuga itself, or even, my favorite, not in existence. One man received a shilling to tell us that he had no idea who we were speaking of. Then we made the mistake of asking Scarlett and Giselle, which ultimately ended with Will getting smacked.

"That was a waste of time." Will sat on the bed and put his head in his hands. "Every day we don't find Jack, is another day Elizabeth sits in jail for helping him."

"And another day we're all wanted for piracy." I added. I usually tried to find the good things in these situations, but in this case, there weren't many, if any at all. Moving to the bed, I laid next to Will and looked up at the ceiling. "I wish this would all go away."

"I know, but it's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault. I knew what I was doing when I set him free, and I accept my consequences." Will reclined next to me.

"As do I. I only wish Lizzie hadn't been involved." I thought about it. She was so young and she had so many opportunities.

"That's why I'm fighting for her. And if I had the chance, I would fight for you too. I did try, I promise." He turned to look at me and I grabbed his hand.

"You cannot save everyone." I didn't tell him about his own pardon. I didn't want him doing anything rash. "Let's just go to sleep and start fresh tomorrow."

The next morning we were up with the sun and with new found determination.

"I think we should check around the boats again." I expressed to Will after eating. "The people who are going to have the most recent information are the ones just coming in."

"That's true. They just might be the most sober as well." Will looked at a drunken man with distain. It was before noon for goodness sake. "Let's start with the fishermen; we can catch them before they go out if we're quick." I followed him down the dock where the fishermen were loading their boats to go out again.

"Should we split up?" I asked him.

"I don't want you getting hurt." Will looked down at me reluctantly, but I pulled out my gun.

"I think I'm safe." With a slightly frightened nod from Will, I put my gun in its holster and we went different directions. I started with a man named who was also named William, but he didn't know anything. Next there was a man named Sage who repeatedly tried to stroke my braided hair and wasn't worth the harassment. I sighed and began to walk back up the dock when someone called out to me in a deep accented voice.

"Ay, you, pretty girl." I turned to see a dark man with only a vest and pants on, tying a net. I looked around for Will but he was nowhere I could see. "I won't hurt you, girl. I heard you were looking for a man and a ship." I quickly nodded and made my way over.

"Yes! I am looking. Do you know anything about either of them?" I was shamelessly excited.

"I do. Can't say about Jack Sparrow, but this island, just south of the straights where I trade spice for, delicious long pork." He hummed in memory of this 'long pork'. Something that sounded familiar but I couldn't place. "Cannot say about Jack, but you find a ship there, ship with black sails." It was close enough.

"Thank you!" I was about to turn when I remembered one important detail. "Do you happen to be going there today? I don't have a boat." I prayed silently in my mind that he would have mercy while he continued to rope his net. After a moment of thought, he stopped his actions and looked up at me with a sigh.

"What can you do for me, pretty girl?" He asked and I could almost feel myself blush.

"I can pay you, not much though. Or I can tie nets." I motioned to the one in his hands. He looked at it then back to me, with a smirk on his face.

"You tie nets, girl?" He chuckled then surprised me by grabbing one of my hands and flipping it palm up. He grazed his thumb along it, making me gulp and turn very red. "You have the hands for it." He looked up at me, somewhat impressed.

"Baily!" Another voice called to me and I turned to see Will coming towards me. "I'm at a loss."

"This man has seen the Black Pearl and may be taking us." I blurted quickly. Will turned to the man.

"Really? And you'll take us?" He asked him. The man nodded.

"Sure. And for the pretty girl," He raised my hand and kissed it, "free of charge." He introduced himself as Henri before standing and heading to the boat. I paused for a moment before turning to Will who was looking for an explanation.

"How?" Was all he said and I shrugged before following Henri onto the boat. To my surprise, and partially to Will's dismay, everyone spoke fluent French.

"Etes-vous sûr nous ne pouvons pas faire quelque chose?" _Are you sure we can't do anything? _I asked Henri after we were on the boat for a while.

"You speak the language, pretty girl?" He smiled, impressed.

"Oui." I nodded with a smile.

"Vous êtes très bien. Nous y serons bientôt." _You are fine. We will be there soon. _We only sailed about two hours before Henri weighed anchor and lifted up a telescope to view the island.

"My brother will take you." He told us before kissing my hand once again and bidding us farewell. We climbed in the boat with his brother and we were rowed towards the shore.

"Well that's definitely the Pearl." Will observed it in the distance.

"What do we say when we get there. Hello, Jack, give us your compass?" I reminded him of our goal.

"Well that's where you come in." He nudged me softly just as Henri's brother stopped rowing. "What is it? Why are we stopping?" Will looked to me then to Henri's brother.

"Quel est le problème?" _What's wrong?_ I asked him.

"Pas de Ne bougeais, c'est trop dangereux." _I won't budge, it's too dangerous. _He told me shamelessly. I sighed and looked at Will.

"He won't go." I shrugged. "He says it's too dangerous."

"But the shore is right there." Will pointed, but he wasn't having it.

"Je ne Peux, c'est trop dangereux, j'avais le dit. "

"We'll have to swim, Will." I told him and we both stood.

"Bon voyage, madame, monsieur." He bid us farewell as we both jumped into the water and swam to shore. Luckily it was a short swim and we got there in little time, not that it mattered because the ship was deserted. Will began to yell for Jack and other crew members while I looked around. There was no one, no sign that anyone was living on the island at all.

"There's no one here, but that's impossible isn't it?" Will looked to me for certainty.

"Nothing is impossible, but it sure isn't likely." I noted. "Maybe they are deeper into the island." So we began to walk into the roughage, Will leading the way, and almost instantly we saw Cotton's parrot.

"Finally, a familiar face." Will smirked in relief.

"Don't eat me!" The parrot squawked, making Will and I share a looked of confusion.

"We aren't going to eat you." I promised before following Will deeper into the forest, the parrot still squawking in the distance. "I wonder where they are. Cotton and the parrot are inseparable."

"Maybe they just got lost." Will didn't think much about it as we walked, but he pulled out his sword nonetheless. After a run in with a hanging tree branch and a spider's web, I pulled mine out as well. We called out every once in a while and were getting a bit tired until Will found something. It was a flask hanging from a branch by a rope.

"Gibbs." He muttered as he pulled the rope off and began to follow it.

"Wait," I stopped him, "Don't you think it's peculiar that his flask is here in the woods and not with him. Why would Gibbs do that?" I asked him, making him pause.

"You're right. You stay here just in case, no need for us both getting in a mess." He walked off and I sighed. I had meant for him to not go at all. I made my way back to the edge of the forest and waited. This was such a strange island. How is it that a ship could be abandoned on a place like this? The crew would be smart enough to stay near it, right? After a while I sighed. If Will was going to get killed, he'd have to do it with me by his side. So I walked back in and found my way back to where we last were, but Will wasn't there, no one was there.

"Will?!" I called out and looked around until I stepped on something, Will's sword. "Oh no."

I had no idea where I was, or where I was going, but I did know that I felt somehow more hopeless than lost. Suddenly I saw an opening and went to it. Unfortunately for me, I ran into what looked like a celebration of some sort amongst a tribe of people.

"My apologies." I stammered out as two of them came to me and dragged me from my spot to the center of their group. I struggled against them until I saw something that made my jaw dropped and I immediatly stilled. To my surprise and relief, Jack Sparrow was at the head of this group. He was sitting in a thrown, there was a rather elaborate headdress atop his head, and around his neck was a necklace made of… human toes? He looked completely calm as he stood and spoke to the people in a strange language. He walked over and started to circle me, picking at my hair and arms on the way. He finally said something to them before kissing my forehead. He went back to his throne and the people immediately brought in another, less elaborate one and sat it next to him before sitting me in it. I paused for a moment then turned to him.

"What in hell is going on?"

"I just saved your life." He told me calmly. "They were going to eat you now. Now they'll eat you later. My turn, what are you doing here?"

"Will and I," I suddenly remembered my counterpart. "Will!"

"No worries, luv, he's with the crew."

"And where is the crew?" I hadn't even seen a trace of them besides Gibbs's flask.

"In captivity, back to my question." He reminded me. "I know young William's motive and reason, but shouldn't your fiancé be taking care of this."

"My fiancé?" I looked at him strangely then remembered that he thought I was betrothed for some reason. "I am not betrothed, I was never. I don't know what you heard to make you think that I am some sort of harlot, but the idea that I would purposely lead you to believe something while knowing myself that there was no hope, is one that I wish you wouldn't have believed to be true." I explained to him and he stared at me for a moment.

"My apologies then." He turned back forward then returned his eyes to me. "And for what it's worth, I never thought you were a harlot. Never thought any less of you."

"Thank you, that's good to know." I gave him a soft smile. Then I looked around to see the tribe was still there, "My turn again. What is going on?"

"We came onto this island, not knowing that these are in fact cannibals, and the 'long pork' market is rather a ghastly disguise." He grimaced. I knew 'long pork' was eerie to me. It was a euphemism for human flesh. "Me being captain, however, was somehow made chief. They believe I am a god which is actually not bad until they eat me to release me from my human form." So he was in as much danger as everyone else. "When you appeared just moments ago, I led them to believe you are my chosen mate."

"Lovely." I sighed. "Please tell me you have a plan."

"My only plan is to run when I get a chance." He admitted. We sat in silence for a while before I spoke up.

"Just in case we don't escape, I would like to know why you thought I was betrothed."

"I was quite taken with you on our last adventure and maybe it was obvious and he wanted to hinder me, but your friend James Norrington let that piece of gossip slip just before we made it to the Isla de Muerta."

"James," I muttered to myself before thinking of what really caught my attention. "So you were quite taken with me, Captain?"

"Aye luv, no use in lying, still am." He admitted.

"Then why haven't you tried anything?" It was a very real question.

"You're a lady luv, a woman to be esteemed." He told me, making my stomach flutter. Oh to hell with it, I had little to lose anyway. I brought his face down so my lips could gently press against his. I felt a jolt shoot right through me from lips to my feet and I loved it. I hadn't actually done this before but luckily Jack took over, letting his hand cup my neck, which felt even better. We parted and I could feel myself flush. "Sometimes you have to make your opportune moment, Captain."

"I like the way you think." Jack moved his hand to my face and stroked my cheek lightly. I felt something rough against my skin and leaned back to look. It was a piece of cloth wrapped around his hand.

"Jack?"

"Hm?"

"What happened to your hand?" I asked him curiously. Before he could answer, there came a shout from the crowd and we turned to see the tribe was beginning to build a bonfire.

"We need to get out of here." He told me calmly, not to raise any suspicion.

"I agree wholeheartedly." I nodded. Jack thought for a moment then grabbed my hand so we both stood. He began speaking their language and making huge hand gestures.

"Big! I want a big fire!" He turned to the men that had been guarding us and motioned them over to make a grand fire with more wood before turning to me. "Run."

And we were off, running through the terrain and over a bridge. Jack didn't let go of my hand and made sure I was by his side the entire time. We finally ran past a few huts only to be stopped by a cliff.

"Ah!" I screamed, almost going off the cliff if it wasn't for Jack pulling me back by the waist. "You saved my life once again, Captain." I panted as I began to look around for any more ideas. Jack picked up a large pole-like bamboo branch but dropped it in defeat. "Maybe there's something in the houses." I suggested, already on my way over to them. It wasn't clear if I had been unfairly judgmental, or if it really was strange that inside this house of what seemed to be a primitive group of people, there were dishes. Nice big, white dishes; clean and shiny silver tea cups; a tea kettle; and essentially a lot of items that I wasn't expecting to see. "Is this,"

"Strange? Yeah." Jack finished and answered my question for me before grabbing a bundle of rope. I continued to look around, though, until I found some spices.

"Jack," I stopped him from leaving and motioned to the goods. We both picked one up and turned them to see the stamp of the East India Trading Company. "My, they certainly are everywhere." I gave him a look before we heard rustling from outside. Jack sighed in defeat.

"You stay here luv, they won't come looking for you. Go find the crew when it's safe." He instructed before stepping out into the hands of his captures.

Luckily for Captain Sparrow, I can be fairly stubborn at times. It took a bit for me to find my way back, but when I did my timing was perfect, and Jack was alone. Of course he was tied to a bamboo stick and was hovering over an impending fire whilst trying to blow out a torch, but alone nonetheless. I quickly ran over and grabbed the torch, putting it out in the dirt.

"Fortunately for you, you have me." I told him.

"I told you to,"

"I know." I stopped him while looking over his problem to find a solution. "I don't always listen." I pushed the branch off of its hold and Jack fell to the ground, breaking free of the rope around his legs.

"It's good for now, they'll be back." So once again we were off, running through the terrain, and once again we found ourselves at the same house.

"Okay," I turned to Jack and tried to get the rope off but wasn't having much success but remembered the dishes. I turned towards the house to see a little boy with a fork and knife. "Excuse me," I snatched the knife and got to work on the rope, but the little boy ran off, no doubt to tell on us. It took some time but I got Jack loose, only to see two native women standing in awe.

"Bloody hell," Jack moaned in frustration, but I had an idea.

"Put your arms around me and look sad." I told him quietly. He looked down at me, confused, but did it anyway. "Now tell them that you only wanted a few more moments with your love." He raised an eyebrow, then turned to the women and spoke to them in their language. The women exchanged looks then said something back and gave us a mango.

"They said walk through the forest slowly and back to the village for peace." He gave them an appreciative bow, as did I, before we joined hands and walked into the forest.

"Now which way to the ship?"

And yet again we were off, through the terrain, only now it was towards the beach, the Pearl, and survival. And yet again, we were met with an obstacle. Who else would we meet in the forest than the tribe we thought we were free from.

"Just stay close!" Jack shouted as we ran towards the beach.

"Of course!" I shouted back, not that I had a choice, Jack's grip on my hand was amazingly firm. We got to the beach and saw the Pearl in the distance in front of us, but after a few paces, the tribe was in the distance behind us.

"Good doggie!" Jack yelled as we passed the dog that usually held the keys in the jail at Port Royal. I couldn't help but wonder how he got here as we dived into the ocean and half swam; half ran our way to the Pearl. Jack helped me climb onto the side first. I near collapsed on the deck when I got aboard. It's exhausting, running from captives.

"Baily!" Will came over in complete concern.

"I'm fine." I panted and wiped the soaking wet hair out of my eyes, part sea water and part perspiration. Jack came aboard after me and began to give Gibbs instruction.

"What happened?" Will looked me over. "Why were you being chased?"

"I believe it goes without saying that I found the Captain under terrible circumstances. We had to escape the cannibals. I promise I'm alright. Don't forget the compass." And with that reminder, Will went to Jack while I went to the helm where Gibbs was.

"Everything right?" He looked over me.

"Aye Mr. Gibbs, and it's good to see you again as well."

"Good to have our Quartermaster back." After a pause, he sighed and turned to me. "He wants to keep to the shallows."

"The shallows?" I gave him a look that fully expressed the impossibility of keeping the Pearl, not only in the shallows but hidden in any way.

"Aye, he's been strange lately. He was different after you had come and gone, but then he began talking about a key and staying on land. Maybe you could," Gibbs motioned towards Jack who was coming up the stairs, Will on his heels.

"Why me?" I asked him though I had an inkling of what he was going to say.

"You should really see how he gazes upon you, lass." Gibbs said what everyone had been saying.

"Fine, I'll try my best." I told him then turned my attention to the man in question.

"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for ones mistakes." Jack came closer but turned at the sound of Will taking another man's sword and pointing it at his neck.

"I need that compass of yours, Jack. I must trade it for her freedom." Will looked serious.

"Perhaps we can come to a nonviolent solution?" I spoke up. Jack adjusted Will's sword from one soldier to the other then turned to us.

"Gibbs!"

"Cap'n." Gibbs went to his side immediately.

"Take the helm. We have a need to travel upriver." Jack gave the order and Gibbs gulped.

"By need, do you mean a... trifling need, a fleeting, as in, say, a passing fancy?" I looked between them suspiciously.

"No, a resolute and unyielding need." He clarified before stepping down in front of the helm with Will.

"What's upriver?" I asked Gibbs. He hesitated for a moment.

"There is a woman, a hoodoo, voodoo woman. Jack needs her help from time to time." Gibbs explained. "She leaves us all with a very strange feeling in our blood afterwards." I nodded in understanding and looked to where Will was walking away from Jack with a cloth drawing in his hand. What was he up to? I watched him tell Will that, whatever the drawing was, it was going to save Elizabeth. When Will left Jack's side, I filled his absence.

"Luv, you are sopping." He took his coat off and wrapped it around my shoulders.

"Thank you. What are you up to?" I didn't hold back with him.

"What do you mean?" He tried to look innocent but I wasn't having it, so he sighed. "I will explain it all later. In the meantime, go find something dry in my cabin." He tucked a stray hair over my ear. "And maybe we can discuss that," He glanced over his shoulder to see Gibbs pretending to not be listening. "Thing that happened earlier." Jack pushed me towards the stairs after that.

For the remainder of the day, we reorganized the ship. Now that half of them had been lost, we had to make do with the crew we had, especially cooking wise, and heavens know I'm a disaster with that responsibility. We also had to try to stay in the shallows while being out at sea. It was all relatively unclear and somewhat maddening. Speaking of events that fit that description, I somehow found myself being pulled into the rum closet by Jack in the middle of the night. By the glow of a lantern, I looked up at him with what I assume would be the perfect assortment of muddled, lethargic, and amused.

"Captain, I respect most of your actions entirely, but what are we doing in a rum closet?" I asked him, my voice thick and heavy with sleep and my arms crossed.

"About my hand," He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them, looking me in the eye. "I did something not very good."

"Have you seen a surgeon?" I asked him worriedly, but he shook his head.

"It isn't that kind of wound." He informed me. And that was how I learned how Jack not only got the wound on his hand but the brand on his wrist. Contracted to transport cargo for Lord Beckett, Jack went rogue, or was described as doing such, after liberating the cargo. Of course Lord Beckett's idea of cargo was actually people. As a consequence, Beckett burned Jack's ship which Jack then enlisted the help of Davy Jones to resurrect in exchange for his soul after thirteen years. Now Jones is trying to collect, Jack is in a pinch, and I am in terrible disbelief. I stared at him for a moment in awe. I was now very much awake but quiet and we were now about as far apart as two people can get in a rum closet, which is not very far. Without speaking, I held out my hand and he put his in mine. I began to unravel the cloth until it slipped off and revealed the horrid black spot.

"Well it certainly does its job, I'm alarmed." I took in a shaky breath and glanced up at him. "Does it hurt?" I asked as I rewrapped his hand.

"Only when I think about what it means." He admitted.

"Well I hope I can still bring you luck." I tied it with a snug pull then brought it to my lips, offering a gentle kiss.

"I'll need all I can get." He mumbled softly.

"I do inquire why we're still in a rum closet and not, say, in a cabin we used to share."

"Because that's our cabin, if you still want it, and if anyone were to come looking for either of us, that's where they'd go. And it seems that whenever I'm with you, I get interrupted." He explained his logic, looking down at me with those smoldering eyes. I reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Captain Jack Sparrow, how do you manage?" I sighed.

"Very well on occasion, a bit better with you, like today for example." He reminded me.

"I just knew that I wasn't going to find anyone by wandering around in the forest alone." I told him part of my reason for not listening.

"I am grateful still." He leaned down and kissed me. My eyes closed and arms circled around me before I lost myself in the feeling. Jack's hands went around my waist then once again in my hair. It felt absolutely wondrous and beautiful until the door unexpectedly opened. We parted but stayed embraced to turn and see Mr. Gibbs standing in the doorway, clearly amused at the looks of our position.

"It's about time." Was all he said before he reached in for a bottle of rum and closed the door.

"Perhaps you didn't account for anyone getting rum from the rum closet." I looked up at Jack then started to chuckle. He smiled himself but leaned down to kiss me again.

"I have wanted to do this for a long time." He admitted before giving me another kiss.

"Well sometimes you have to send a woman to get the job done." I grinned and allowed myself to be kissed once more. When we parted again, I rested my head on his chest and hugged him. "You're a brave man for what you did Jack, but you better find a way out of this."

**R&R: Tell me what you think.**


	12. Tia Dalma

**I know it's been so long since I updated and I apologize. First I had to fix a plot hole and then it felt like I blinked and it had been two months. I hope you all like it and I hope you didn't just look up one day and realize you go back to school in three weeks like I did. **

I woke up the next morning to a knock on the door and a shout saying it was time to get up. Groaning, I opened my eyes and immediately turned them to the window only to see that it was, in fact, before dawn.

"Kept my word didn't I?" I heard from beside me where Jack was beginning to wake up as well. After we left the run closet, much to Jack's dismay, I agreed to share the bed once again but with the warning that he was to keep his limbs to himself or so help me.

"Never doubted you for a second, Captain." I yawned. "Do you think they can make it without us?" I closed my eyes to go back to sleep when there was yet another banging on our door.

"Apparently not." Jack concluded with a groan. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, I sat up and lit a lantern though Jack didn't move from his place. Grabbing a hairbrush from the side table, I began to relieve my hair of its tangles as I watched Jack struggle to even open his eyes. I doubt he had been sleeping well with all of the stress anyway.

"Sit up, it helps." I suggested quietly. He did what I said with a sigh before turning to me.

"Is your warning still in effect?" He asked me near pitifully. I smiled lightly and nodded.

"Yes unfortunately. As much as I enjoy you, Captain, I'm afraid Will doesn't and because he's important to me,"

"You would rather not upset him with the news right at this moment." Jack finished for me.

"I hope you aren't mad."

"Of course not, luv. I understand completely." He insisted, making me smile appreciatively. We both stood and quickly gathered ourselves so we could start the long journey to the quarters of Tia Dalma. I pulled my hair and was about to leave, but instead I turned and went over to Jack, promptly pressing my lips against his.

"Last one." I left the room while he was still standing in amusement. On deck, I immediately saw Will amongst the crew, helping with the long boats. He came over to me once he was sure they were safe in the water.

"Good morning." He greeted me with more energy than I could muster.

"Good morning, you seem chipper." I commented on it.

"I finally feel like I'm making some sort of headway with saving Elizabeth." He told me, but trailed off when something caught his eye. I followed his gaze to see that Jack had made it out of the cabin and was talking with Gibbs. Jack felt our gazes and looked up then tipped his hat to us. "I don't know if I trust him." Will admitted to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked though I knew what he meant. Though I knew everything about Jack's hand and whatnot, I still didn't know how Will finding Davy Jones was going to get Lizzie out of jail.

"There's an ulterior motive, there always is." He looked at Jack for a moment longer then turned back to me. Suddenly he lit up and looked between Jack and I.

"No." I shook my head. People generally don't give Will enough credit. He can be quite the mischievous one given the chance, and this was the look that he gave me when he had the chance. He had it when he convinced me to learn how to use a sword, when he thought it would be fun if we played a trick on the baker because she raised the prices, when he made me bring Lizzie to town so he could "coincidently" be in the same place and talk to her, and so on and so forth.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say." He pointed out.

"Fine, what are you planning?"

"Jack is fond of you." I was about to interrupt but he rolled his eyes, "Don't try to deny it, everyone know it's true. We have two boats, one for the crew and one for Jack. If you ask him to sit in his boat, which he will agree to, you can spend to trip finding out where his head is." He explained it to me. I thought for a moment but I couldn't say know to his pleading eyes and the fact that it was for Lizzie.

"Well I just have to do all the bloody work, don't I?" I sighed, earning a very appreciative embrace. "All right, all right." I pulled out of it. "I'll do what I can then report back to you later tonight. Agreed?" Will nodded.

"Agreed."

Will was right, getting into Jack's long boat was no problem at all. In fact, it was as easy as inviting myself to sit down next to him just before we started off.

"Well, well." Jack looked down at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't look so smug." I told him while I rubbed my arms. The sun was only just showing an interest in rising and I was only as smart as to layer my shirt.

"Here, luv." Jack took off his coat and wrapped it around my shoulders.

"Thank you." I took it gratefully, glancing over my shoulder to see Will and Gibbs giving me a knowing look, no doubt with varying depths of knowledge.

"Get some rest. We don't need you to keep guard." Jack suggested.

"Really?" I asked, but I was already leaning against his shoulder.

"No doubt about it."

When I woke again, it wasn't too much later but it was light outside and we were deep inside of a forest. Looking around, I noticed that it was strangely quiet besides the insects humming loudly. The crew was mostly sleeping; the only ones awake were those rowing. I lifted my head to see Jack was awake, staring into the waters ahead. He turned to me with a slight smile.

"Sleep enough?"

"I suppose so." I nodded. "But you haven't slept any. And not just today, I can tell."

"How?" He looked down at me.

"Maria used to tell me that if I didn't get enough sleep I would get bruises under my eyes." I grazed the dark skin under his eyes.

"Maria?" He gently grabbed my hand and pulled it down, not letting go but grazing the back of it instead.

"Yes she was my lady in waiting. She filled in where a mother should have been." I turned my gaze away from him. "I'm sorry, this kind of conversation makes me feel a bit somber."

"Won't hold it against you, luv." He promised. After a pause I looked back to him with suspicion.

"You sly pirate, you completely changed the subject." I gasped in realization.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He told me as a smirk rose to his face.

"You can't even contain yourself." I laughed. "Though I am impressed, I still want to know why you haven't been sleeping." I turned serious again.

"I've had a lot on my mind, luv. Every time I close my eyes, I see death in my future. Last night was probably the best I've slept in weeks, truth be told."

"Well let us hope that this Tia Dalma woman has some way of helping you, of helping us. She can help with Lizzie can't she?" I kept Will in mind, though if I was being honest, I would have to say that I wondered as well. Jack paused in thought. "Can't she? That is why we are going, correct? Why Will needs to find this key." I sat a bit taller.

"Yes, luv, I do believe she can help." Was all he told me.

"Should I be worried?" I asked him, looking for honesty. "Please be direct."

"You should. We all should." We sat in silence for a moment before I turned to him.

"I want you to know that, in you, I have all the faith and trust in the world." I reassured him truthfully. And if I was being truthful with myself, I didn't know how wise that was. Jack pulled me closer and kissed my temple.

"You give me loads more credit than I deserve, Baily."

After that our trip consisted of mostly small talk and what not. As the crew began to rise, we stopped at a clearing so everyone could gather themselves for the second part of our journey. I drifted from Jack and met with Will off to the side.

"How are things going?" He asked eagerly. I tried to think of how to sum happy, worried, scared, and frustrated into a single word.

"Fine." I nodded. "Everything is fine."

The second half of our journey was worlds different than the first. Not only was the crew now livelier and talkative, even breaking out in a sailor song now and then, Jack also began to tell me stories about his travels and each one was more humorous and incredulous than the last. In exchange, I told him stories as well. Of course they were the complete opposite. They were stories of adjusting to the Swann's and stories of Hamish and of going to parties and what not. We were having far too much fun, laughing like naughty children. It was amazing how, even after such a long day together; I still didn't feel the least bit bored by Jack.

"We're close, Captain." Gibbs interrupted one of our bursts of laughter. It was nearly pitch black now and we had to light a lantern. We were passing many huts now and we were starting to see people.

"Aye we are, mate." Jack opened his compass, closed it, shook it, then opened it again.

"Why do you always do that?" I finally questioned him on it.

"Do what?" He tried to dismiss it but I wasn't going to give up.

"Every time I see you use that silly little thing, you always have to shake it then look again." I took it from his hands and idly looked at it and let it land in some wayward direction, then I closed it, shook it, and opened it again. "It's the same." I looked up to see him staring at me rather intently. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No particular reason." He shrugged as we approached a cabin that was clearly the center of this community. He stood and prepared himself to step off onto her porch. When he did, he turned to us all. "No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are… were… have been… before." He trailed off. I gave him a suspicious look as Gibbs stepped forward with the crew behind him.

"I'll watch your back." Gibbs promised.

"It's my front I'm worried about." Jack told him as he held out his hand and helped me from the boat. We climbed a set of stairs and I could hear the order of "mind the boat" being passed along. When we got to the door, Jack paused.

"Scared?" I asked as I knocked lightly and opened the door.

"Absolutely not." Jack slid past me and entered first.

"Jack Sparrow!" I looked over his shoulder to see a woman who completely personified the word 'eccentric.' She was a negro woman and her hair was similar to Jack's, but that is where the comparison to anyone I had ever seen before ended. She had dark lips and dark markings under her eyes. Her dress seemed like it was once very nice but was now close to being worn to shreds. And her voice, it was very alluring.

"Tia Dalma!" Jack walked further in and I followed, looking around. There were jars of strange things, shelves filled with strange things; strange things on tables, strange things hanging from the ceiling, strange things were everywhere.

"I always know de wind was goin' blow you back to me one day." She chuckled then looked behind him to where the rest of us were shuffling in.

"Hello, I'm Baily." I introduced myself, but when our eyes connected she reached out and grabbed my hand.

"I'm glad you made it here." She told me in a way that sent a chill down my spine. She let go of my hand and moved along as Jack and I shared a look.

"You have a touch of destiny about you, William Turner." She walked up to Will as soon as he entered the room. I looked on amazed. She really was a hoodoo, voodoo woman.

"You know me?" Will asked her.

"You want to know me." She leaned in seductively, making my eyebrows shoot up in surprise, until Jack went over and stood between them.

"There'll be no knowing here. We've come for help and we're not leaving without it." He turned her with a pout on his face. "I thought I knew you."

"Not so well as I had hoped, come." She led him, specifically Will, to her table. I took a seat and Will sat beside me.

"What service may I do you, hmm?" Tia Dalma once again seductively talked to Will, whilst this time stroking his face. If I were eating I would have choked on something. Suddenly she looked up at Jack. "You know I demand payment?" Jack whistled and the crew brought over Jack the monkey in a cage. It had taken them from dusk to dawn to catch him.

"Look!" Jack pulled out his gone and shot him, making me jump and making little Jack shake in fright. "An undead monkey! Top that!"

"That was uncalled for." I looked at Jack pointedly then down at the little monkey. Tia motioned to the cage and I took that queue to set free the little creature.

"No! You know exactly how long it took to put him in there."

"Well maybe if you had listened to me in the first place it wouldn't have took so long." I reminded them. My plan was to capture with kindness, maybe a little food here, a little sweet talking there, but they decided to just use force. Gibbs glared at me until Tia refocused us.

"The payment is fair." She announced and we could go on. Taking charge, Will took out the drawing of the key.

"We're looking for this."

"And what it goes to." I added. She looked at it in a slightly haunting way before turning to Jack who was idly looking through all of the things in the hut.

"The compass you bartered from me. It cannot lead you to this?" She asked him in slight annoyance.

"Maybe. Why?" Jack turned defensive while I turned curious. I knew the thing didn't point north, so where did it point? She sat back in her chair with a near tickled grin on her face.

"Ah, Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants. Or rather," She corrected, changing her gaze to me, "You don't know which thing to want more." I turned to look at Will who was clearly lost in thought.

"You know what this is?" I changed the course of the conversation.

"Aye, missy. Your key go to a chest, and it is what lay inside the chest you seek, don't it?" She looked to Will.

"What is inside?" Gibbs's curiosity got the better of him as did Pintel and Ragetti's.

"Gold! Jewels? Unclaimed properties of a valuable nature?" Pintel guessed like a pirate.

"Nothing bad I hope." Ragetti gulped.

"You know of Davy Jones yes?" Tia began her tale. "A man of de sea. A great sailor, until he ran afoul of dat which vex all men." She gave me a wink and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"What vexes all men?" Will asked stupidly. Normally I wouldn't use that word, but considering he is out of his wits consumed with Lizzie, he should really be the first person to know the answer.

"What indeed?" Tia answered in more of a riddle as she stroke Will's hand much to my, continuing surprise.

"The sea?" Gibbs guessed wrong first.

"Sums!" Pintel second.

"Dichotomy of good and evil." Ragetti was third with a quite honorable yet still wrong answer. I rolled my eyes.

"A woman." I answered, to my surprise, in concurrence with Jack. I gave him a glance and he sent me a smirk.

"A woman." Tia nodded, " He fell in love."

"No, no, no, I heard it was the sea he fell in love with." Gibbs tried to correct her but she waved his opinion away with a flick of her wrist.

"Same story, different versions, and all are true. See," She continued dramatically, "It was a woman as changing, and harsh, and untamable as the sea. Him never stopped loving her. But the pain it cause him was too much to live with, but not enough to cause him to die." Will and I shared looks of equal hesitance before turning back to her.

"What, exactly, did he put into the chest?"

"Him heart." Tia said the words but I still couldn't believe them.

"Literally, or figuratively?" Ragetti asked for the clarification we all needed.

"He couldn't literally put his heart in a chest." Pintel dismissed him like it was obvious.

"Did he really?" I asked her cautiously.

"It was not worth feeling what small fleeting joy life brings, and so, he carved out him heart, lock it away in a chest, and hide de chest from de world. De keys, he keep with him at all times." She explained. I sat in disbelief while Will jumped up and turned to Jack.

"You knew this!" Will accused him

"I did not!" Jack very unconvincingly defended himself. "I didn't know where the key was and now we do. So all that's left is to climb aboard the Flying Dutchman, grab the key, you go back to Port Royal and save your bonnie lass, hey!" He snapped and moved to leave, but Tia called him back.

"Let me see your hand." She stood and held out her own hand to receive his. How on Earth did she even know it was there? Jack gave her his right hand but after a knowing look, he gave her his cursed and bound hand. I didn't have to look up to see the black spot, not only had I already seem it, but Gibbs started a bad luck reversal jig that Pintel and Ragetti followed.

"My eyesight is as good as ever by the way." Jack let everyone know. Tia released his hand and went to the back.

"Can you believe this?" Will asked me as I stood.

"No, I really can't. We are on a search for the still beating heart of Davy Jones." There was so much going on in this world and I only knew a tiny bit about it.

"I meant him." Will motioned to Jack.

"That I can believe, can't you?" I asked Will as Jack stole a ring off of her table, making Will roll his eyes. Tia walked back into the room with a jar filled with… dirt.

"Davy Jones cannot make port, cannot step on land but once every ten years. Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow. And so you will carry land with you." She handed him the jar of dirt while we all looked on with as much disbelief as we had left.

"Dirt," Jack looked at it, "This is a jar of dirt."

"Yes." Tia agreed.

"Is the dirt going to help?" He asked the question on our minds.

"If you don't want it, give it back." She held out her hands but Jack pulled it away.

"No." He told her childishly.

"Then it helps." She was good, very good.

"It seems we have a need to find the Flying Dutchman. Will redirected our conversation once again. Tia sat and pulled crab shells that were sitting on her table into her hands before closing her eyes and murmuring something until,

"A touch, of destiny." She dropped the shells and they landed in what I assumed to be meaningful positions. We all sat in wait until she looked up at us.

"This is where you will find it in three days." She told us. "You will stay here tonight, the things lurking in these waters could be dangerous for you." No one objected to that suggestion and Jack told Gibbs to write down the coordinates as we were all shown our rooms. We were shown through a series of halls that seemed impossible to fit into such a small hut, until we got into a place that looked like a conjoined hut. It was simply a space with a table and chairs and a hallway that had six doors, which we learned to be bedrooms. Everyone chose a roommate. Even Will,

"Baily and I will take a room." He chose for us both. Admittedly, this sent me into a brief shock. I was so used to sharing with Jack, even if it was for convenience only.

"Um, alright." I nodded, ignoring Jack's gaze. I couldn't say no, that would be inappropriate. We walked to an empty room and saw that it was simply a room with two cots until we looked up to see, not a ceiling but a net. "I suppose we're sleeping under the stars tonight." I nudged Will with a smile.

"How can you be so calm?" Will sat on his bed and I sat on mine.

"Perhaps I'm in shock." I shrugged. "I'm not worried. Everything will work out, I'm positive."

"How do you have faith?" He asked me in a way that was desperate to know the truth.

"Well, our Father in Port Royal, on Sundays, would say not to worry about anything, but pray about everything. And in these circumstances, we need divine intervention, so I choose to pray." I explained to him. We were both silent for a moment until there was a knock on the door. "Come in." I instructed without standing. The door opened and in came Jack. "Hello, Captain."

"Can we help you with anything else?" Will asked him, still on edge about the predicament we were in.

"Calm down mate, just making me rounds. We rise at dawn to head back to the ship and find these coordinates. Everything right?" He looked to Will who nodded then to me. "Luv?"

"I'm fine." I told him nicely.

"You're sure?" He asked me rather seriously.

"I promise I'm alright." I nodded then waved as I said goodnight to him and he left. Turning back to Will, I was caught off guard by his expression that consisted of a smirk and a shaking head. "What?"

"You two think you are so sneaky."

"Pardon?" I furrowed my eyebrows at the accusation.

"It's safe to say that I am your best friend, Baily, and that no one knows you better. You and the Captain have committed to one another. I can see it in your face. In the way you didn't even flinch at the black spot because he already showed you it was there. In the way he treats you better than everyone else." Will would have continued if I had not stopped him.

"You are right." I admitted the truth. "Are you mad?"

"Mad? No, of course not. Lacking understanding? Absolutely, about the whole thing. He makes you light up, however. No one but him has done that yet." He shrugged and rested his hands on his knees. I moved to his bed and wrapped him in a side hug.

"You are wonderful and I thank you."

Later that night we both found a comfortable enough position to go to sleep, or at least Will had. I was tossing and turning for some reason. I finally stood in frustration and left the room. I was planning on just taking a stroll through the halls. If I only made two turns, I could easily find my way back. I skimmed my hand against the wall to make sure I could find my way back, but I suddenly began to feel like I had taken too many turns. I tried to turn around but without a lantern and only the moonlight from a few windows shining through, I was definitely lost.

"What is wrong with me?" I began to talk to myself as I tried to find my way. "No lantern, direction," I trailed off as I turned a corner and saw a single room with light illuminating from it. I sighed in relief. If nothing else I could be led back to my room. Walking up to the door, I cautiously looked inside to see none other than Tia Dalma sitting behind yet another table, with candles and incense burning around her. Her eyes were closed and she seemed calm.

"Come in child." She suddenly spoke, making me jump in fright. I walked in and sat in one of her chairs.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep so I thought I would walk but I somehow got myself lost."

"I called for you." She corrected me.

"Excuse me?" I was now slightly terrified. Her eyes opened and they looked darker than normal.

"You want to see who you were, Baily Hart, and I will show you."


	13. May 14, 1982

**May 14, 1982 – New York**

"Why do people tell us we're too young and then ask us to write an autobiography of our lives at twenty years young?" Jordan whined as we walked towards the front of the class.

"It won't be that bad, plus it's just a workshop and it's only five pages." I reminded her; even though I was the one who needed to do extremely well seeing as this was one of my many credit requirements.

"Oh please Ms. I grew up with my English father in England and decided to come to America for college and stay with my French mother. Please, Baily, I would read a book about your life." She rolled her eyes.

"Well excuse me for being the most interesting girl in the world. It's a hard job." I teased. Jordan was my best friend and roommate. She was gorgeous. I'm talking curves in all the right places, curly hair, dark skin, and impeccable fashion sense.

"Whatever, all I have to say is I was born in Manhattan, I grew up in Manhattan, and I will die in Manhattan." She groaned as we walked out of class and onto campus.

"You're doing that thing where you wish you were born in Milan, grew up in Paris, and will soon die in your own design studio wherever that will be." I reminded her. Jordan gave me a look and pulled out her sunglasses.

"Thin ice, Britain, thin ice." She warned me, making me laugh. Everyone called me Britain. It's not very clever or anything but after three years of college I can honestly say, compared to what other people are known for, I'm thankful for my accent.

"Hey Britain!" See, everyone. Jordan and I both turned to see a boy running up to us. He was far enough away that I could ask Jordan who he was exactly.

"Does it matter? He's fine as hell." She looked him over from behind her sunglasses as he finally approached us. "Oh it's you." I could tell she rolled her eyes. She hated standing by while we talked.

"Hey ladies," He panted through his smile. It was gorgeous, all pearly white and straight and what not.

"Hi Mark." I smiled. Mark was a senior and the head of his fraternity. He was also the most persistent chap I'd ever met. Even though I'd turned him down before because I'm just not in the mood to do the relationship thing at the moment, he was still a charming flirt.

"We're having a toga party at the house tonight." He handed me a flyer and Jordan immediately took it.

"You're having a toga party?" I tried not sounding as exhausted of the idea as I was. Animal House had only been out for a few years and it had started a revolution in Greek life.

"Hey, good themes never die." He shrugged. "Think you can show your face?"

"I'll give you a solid maybe." I shot him a smile.

"Only a maybe?" He looked disappointed.

"I have a paper to write." I told him before turning and dragging Jordan along with me. "Sorry." I called over my shoulder.

"You know good and well you're going to that party." Jordan handed me the flyer.

"I mean, I don't know." I shrugged.

"There is nothing you love more than a good party, not to mention that it's Mark's frat, and you have many togas from all of your other toga parties."

"Didn't we just go over our need to write good autobiographies?"

"No, I was going over how I need a good autobiography and you need to write a book about your life." She looked over at me in and sighed. "Ever since you had that dream, you haven't been yourself." A few nights ago, I had this dream that I was drowning and trying to breath but I couldn't because I was so confused and I felt like something was wrong, like I was misplaced.

"Don't be cryptic." I laughed but stopped when she didn't join in. "Really?"

"Really." She nodded. "You know what you need." I rolled my eyes so hard I almost hurt myself.

"I am not seeing a psychic."

"Yes, you are. I'll go with you." Jordan then proceeded to half drag me onto a bus and down town to a creepy ally way. It looked just like the movies, water dripping from fire escapes even though it hadn't rained recently, random cats, the sound of pots banging around.

"How do you even know where this is?" I asked her, shrinking into her with every rat we past.

"You know that weird girl on the third floor? She earned her tarot cards from here and she said it's legit."

"Please tell me you are joking." I prayed that she really didn't get this address from Sarah Jacobs who we all swear put a spell on our old science professor. It sounds crazy because it is. We turned one last corner and there it was, a small hole in the wall psychic shop. Upon walking in, I immediately had to duck my head down. There were jars of strange things hanging from the ceiling, shelves filled with strange things; strange things on tables, strange things were everywhere. I looked over Jordan's shoulder to see a woman who was nothing less than eccentric. She was black and her hair was in dreads but nothing else about her was like anything I had seen before. She had dark lips and dark markings under her eyes. Her clothes were cool, lots of colorful prints and patterns; they look kind of old though. And her voice, it was very alluring.

"Welcome." She smiled at Jordan, but the moment her eyes shifted to me, her whole demeanor changed. Standing immediately, she came over to me. "You, you are lost." It wasn't a question; it was a statement, like she knew for a fact. I looked to Jordan but she only shrugged.

"Excuse me?" I asked her, the faster she read my palm, the faster we could leave.

"You, Baily Hart, are not where you should be." She told me in a stern voice. My jaw dropped and suddenly I was more than a little scared. She knew my name. I was so shocked I let her lead me to her table and sit me down before it. She had both of my hands in hers and her eyes were closed. I looked back to see Jordan wide eyed.

"D-do you see something or know something because I've been feeling a bit off lately and I keep having this dream." I suddenly was very interested in what she had to say.

"You have been drifting." She told me, eyes still closed. "The vision was sent to you, to prepare you, everything is going to change." Clearly this was going in a very different direction very quickly. I looked back towards Jordan to make sure she wasn't freaking out. She was standing in the same place, watching intently. When I turned back to the woman, I jumped. Her eyes were now open and looking strongly into me. "Everything needs to be set right, now go." She snatched her hands from mine. "Go!" She repeated again and we scrambled out the door and the ally without looking back. When we got onto the street I was shaking terribly.

"Dude, that was crazy." Jordan didn't know what to think either. I dug into my purse and pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. If there was ever a time to screw giving up smoking, it was now. I put it in my mouth and tried to light it but I was shaking too hard. Apparently smoking had given up on me. I tossed both of the items on the ground and put my hands on my knees. After a moment of looking crazy on the sidewalk, I composed myself.

"Okay," I took a deep breath in and stood upright. "Okay." I nodded and looked to Jordan who nodded along with me. "Everything's okay right?"

"Right. For all we know, she was just some crazy old lady." We both agreed on that and got on the bus. Neither of us were going to bring this up again.

After that I was definitely not about to put on a sheet and walk half naked across campus to a frat party. Jordan, however, was happy to take my invite and my pinkest toga to the party while I stayed held up in our dorm, tapping my pencil against my notebook and wondering what I would write.

_My name is Baily Marie Hart. I am nineteen and I was born in London, England, United Kingdom as an only child to my parents, Charles Hart, and Nora Girardot. My mom says I was a miracle because she was forty when she had me and everyone told her she wasn't going to have children. They aren't together anymore. My dad said they were too different and my mom said they were too similar. My dad is a novelist, and my mom is a professor of French. She used to work at Cambridge in the United Kingdom but she was offered a job here in New York, America and now she works here at Smith Briar._

That's all I had written in about three hours and it wasn't even final draft worthy. I had put pencil to paper and just started to write down anything. My mind kept going back to that psychic. I didn't realize I was staring intently until I was nearly given a heart attack from a knock on my door. My door swung open and my RA popped her head in.

"You have a phone call." She told me before closing the door again. I sighed and made my way to the hall phone.

"Hello?"

"_Where are you?"_ Mark's voice came from the other end, making me smile.

"I have a paper to write."

"_Jordan's here, I'm here, everyone who has a paper to write is here."_ I couldn't help but laugh at his attempts.

"They warned me about this whole negative peer pressure thing."

"_Is it negative if it's fun?"_

"I think that can still qualify as negative."

"_Nah, I don't think so."_ We both shared a laugh.

"Mark?" I took a deep breath.

"_Yeah?"_

"Do I have to wear a toga and walk across campus in the near middle of the night?"

"_Do you have to wear a toga to the toga party?"_

"Yes." I confirmed that that was exactly what I was asking.

"_No, just for you I will say no."_

"Alright, don't drink too much until I get there." We hung up and I grabbed my jacket. I could finish the paper later and all I was doing anyway was thinking about the crazy psychic lady who just happened to know things about me anyway. I left my dorm and started the walk across campus. I was about to cross the bridge that was over the man made lake we used for rowing when I almost ran into someone. "Sorry." I looked up and saw the psychic woman. For a moment there my heart stopped.

"Baily Hart, you aren't where you are supposed to be."

"How did you know that stuff about the dream? How did you know that I was feeling lost? How do you know my name? How did you find me?" I couldn't stop asking questions.

"Girl, you are needed elsewhere. Sometimes these miracles you hear of seem so impossible, because they weren't supposed to happen at this moment." She told me.

"I was a miracle." I realized what she was saying.

"Yes, you were. You are not a mistake, but in a instance of confusion, you were placed in a dissimilar time. You have a prophecy to fulfill in a special place. We cannot leave you here." She began to walk towards me, making me back into the bridge rather quickly. She placed her fingers on my heart and gave a gently push that somehow knocked me off balance, sending me over the edge.

"A touch of destiny."

**Present**

When I opened my eyes, I was still sitting, but the sun had risen and I was alone.

"You're awake." Tia Dalma walked into the room with a tray. She came over and sat it on the table before taking a seat again.

"How long have I been sitting here?" I asked her, surprisingly calm.

"Hours," Was all she said. "How do you feel?"

"I feel extremely relaxed." I answered truthfully.

"I was burning incense to keep you calm and meditative." She reached for a cup that was on the table and handed it to me. "Drink."

"What is it?" I wondered if it would do something else to me.

"Tea." She chuckled and I took a sip. "Now, what you saw will not last long in your mind."

"Why can't I have my memories?" I could feel the incense still keeping me calm.

"You will keep the important things of course." She told me, but seeing that I wasn't satisfied, she continued. "Everything in the universe is written, and when it is written, it must come true. As I told you then, you were a miracle that was not for your time. You lived in an advanced world, Baily Hart, in a time that people now cannot dream of. As I said, everything written must come true, Baily Hart, and you coming here was written. If you could remember everything, it would be very distracting."

"Why do I have to be here?" I didn't understand.

"You are needed here, to fulfill a prophecy."

"What prophecy?"

"There will be three curses and a sovereignty that will change things forever, Baily Hart, and you are a key part in all of them. They cannot happen without you." She pointed at me emphatically. "I cannot tell you why, I only do what needs to be done and nothing more. I do not question it." She told me but I still shook my head.

"What I saw; It was all so familiar. I knew those people and it was I; that was my life. I had parents, a family, friends, a childhood." I saw birthday parties and adventures led by mischief and amazing little details like my favorite desserts and seasons. It was all so wonderful. It was so comfortable knowing theses things, like I had known them all along.

"You must look forward, and live right now." She leaned forward she stopped me. "You were brought here, now it is your responsibility to create your future. And don't worry; you will be satisfied. Now go!"

Even as I began to walk back to my quarters, which I could now see were only down the hall from Tia Dalma's room, I felt the details of the future time slipping as if it was all only a wonderful dream. I was left with only the very important memories that I was quickly learning to cherish. When I got back to the quarters, Will was still sleeping so I closed the door again. I wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep anyway. I looked down the hall and decided to find my favorite captain. His door was the last on the left, I only found after checking three other rooms of course. Luckily for me, Jack wasn't sleeping. He was staring at the ceiling until I walked in, closing the door behind me.

"I knew you were having trouble sleeping." I confirmed my earlier accusation. He moved to sit up but I stopped him. "Just move over." I slid into the small space next to him, staring at the ceiling now as well.

"What is that smell?" He began to sniff around, making me turn my head and laugh.

"You look silly." I teased

"It's you, luv. You smell ravenous." He buried his nose in my neck, making me squirm.

"I believe you mean ravishing." I laughed, ending with a sigh.

"You're up before everyone." Jack observed after a moment.

"I never went to sleep." I let my mind drift back to my new revelation about where I came from.

"Luv?" Jack interrupted my thoughts. "Did you hear me?"

"Hm?" I replied distantly, still in thought. Jack adjusted himself so that he was leaning on his arm and looking down at me.

"What did she do to you?" He read my face closely.

"What?"

"You have that look that I usually have when Tia tells me something about myself." He looked at me knowingly. I sighed just thinking about trying to tell someone else.

"I told you how I did not know what happened to me." I looked up at him, hoping he was following along. "Well, she showed me."

"Showed you what?" He asked eagerly.

"Everything. She showed me everything that had ever happened to me from when I was a child to when I nearly drowned and washed ashore Port Royal." I shook my head, still in disbelief of how impossible this sounded.

"Where did you come from?" He adjusted himself once again.

"I am not able to actually remember exactly, she said it was an advanced time, years in the future. That people now would not even be able to dream of a time like that. She said I will not remember anything that is not important. Everything else will slip my mind once I leave here. It's already starting. The more I try to remember,"

"The more you forget." Jack finished for me and I nodded.

"Exactly." I nodded then paused. "How do you always know what I am about to say?" I looked up at him with a smile.

"Shall I stop?" He reminded me of one of our previous conversations.

"No I quite enjoy it." I chuckled. And at that moment, I felt better. I was still baffled by this discovery, but I liked being here as well. I did wonder what everyone thought had happened to me where I was before.

"Tell me who you are, Baily Hart." Jack finally requested as he looked down at me deeply.

"It would be my pleasure, Jack Sparrow." I smiled. "I want to start with my parents. My mother was amazingly beautiful and my father was so very handsome…" For the rest of the time we had until we were supposed to prepare for our journey back to the ship, I told Jack things that I could remember. I remembered people very well and how they used to behave. I remembered the bedtime stories, and everything my mother told me about men. They were very important. So were the other people I had known. I could remember mischievous things I had done as a child with friends and I could remember things I used to like to do, but I couldn't remember doing them or locations. I suppose the very important things were the people, our relations, and how I felt.

Before we knew it, a sailor was knocking, banging really, on Jack's door so he would get up.

"I should go make sure Will isn't looking for me." I sat up, Jack following my lead.

"Sure thing, luv." Upon standing, I was about to head to the door when Jack called me back. "Everything will be okay, luv." He pressed a kiss to my forehead before letting me go. As I snuck out of the room I almost ran right into Gibbs who raised a bemused eyebrow.

"Not a word Master Gibbs." I warned him and he put his hands up in surrender. I went back into my room and saw Will sliding on his boots. I went inside and shut the door.

"Where have you been?" He looked up at me in suspicion.

"I have something to tell you that is extremely important." I told him excitedly. And I told him everything that had happened and what I could remember which really wasn't much by now, as Will continued to get dressed.

"That is amazing." He hugged me when I had finished.

"I know, I'm actually happy that I know something now." I laughed happily. We then proceeded to the boats. We got all of our things together and Tia Dalma gave us some food for breakfast and for the trip back. As we were leaving, I gave Tia Dalma a last look as I watched her and my past behind get smaller in the distance.


	14. A Condition to the Conditions

Will and Jack did not agree on much of anything, but they did agree on, was to disregard my better judgment regarding Davy Jones. We had arrived at our destination in the middle of the night and it was storming. In the distance we could see a ship wreck that was absolutely horrid. The ship itself was broken in half and we saw no lanterns flashing or hands waving indicating that there were any survivors. I, of course, had some questions about how safe this all was.

"There isn't another way to do this?" I shouted over the winds.

"Don't worry Baily, it doesn't look like much." Will reassured me as we looked across the storming water at the nearly sunken ship.

"Neither do you." Jack stepped up beside us with Gibbs on his heels. "Do not underestimate her. She's more like this one than you would imagine." He jabbed his thumb in my direction. Will and I turned back to the site.

"Something does not sit right with me about this, Jack." I shook my head. There was no way this could be the ship that everyone feared.

"Must've run afoul of the reef." Gibbs suddenly spoke up. I looked at him suspiciously then turned to Will.

"You do not have to do this. We can find another way."

"I highly doubt that notion, luv." Jack pushed me aside. "Now remember lad, if we want to save your bonny lass, this is the fastest way."

"But," I began but Jack cut me off.

"Captain, luv!" He reminded me.

"He's right, Baily. We need to save Elizabeth." Will agreed with Jack.

"Do you at least have a plan?" I sighed, defeated.

"I row over, search the ship until I find the bloody key." He shrugged as if it was going to be that easy.

"And if there are crewmen?" Jack also questioned this plan's simplicity.

"I cut down anyone in my path." Will was determined; I could credit him with that much.

"This is not a good idea." I looked between Jack and Will.

"What do you mean? I like his plan. It's simple, easy to remember." Jack smiled down at me as Will went to the long boat. I followed him closely.

"Will," I called to him and he turned around. "Be careful, alright?" He looked down at me and nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. If anything does happen to me, save Elizabeth. I know you can do it." He kissed my forehead then descended the latter to the long boat. Jack came over and yelled down to Will.

"If you do happen to get captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt! Might save your life!" He gave Will a wave as Ragetti pushed the boats away. When Will was far enough, Jack turned to Gibbs. "Dose the lamps." Everyone scattered to execute the order as Jack moved up the deck to get a better view with his telescope.

"Captain," I approached him, arms crossed. He looked down at me innocently. "You know that this will not be so simple. What are you doing?"

"Don't worry, luv. You're always worrying." He told me and went back to his telescope.

"You have no idea what you are doing, do you?" I called him out and he once again lowered his telescope.

"The truth is, luv, I don't. But I do know that any plan we could've made would have as good a chance as Will's does in working."

"Then why would you let him go?" I motioned to the sea wreck Will's lantern was slowly moving closer to.

"Because he wants to save Elizabeth and this is the only way we have at the moment that wouldn't take too much time." He pointed out our lack of plans. I had never felt so helpless.

"Then what do we do?" I looked around. There was no turning back now.

"We see where this goes." Jack pulled his telescope up again and I stayed closely by his side.

"What's happening?" I asked, still looking at the wreck form where I stood.

"Nothing yet." He mumbled. A few moments passed when all of a sudden a ship, a real ship, a huge ship, sprung up from the water.

"Jack," I didn't have an ending to that sentence but I believe my clutching myself onto his arm was enough.

"Settle down, luv." Though he didn't sound too sure himself.

"What's happening?" Asked him again, now with urgency, but he didn't have time to answer because all of a sudden, there was a crew of… fish people standing on deck. I jumped back with a gasp.

"Oh." Jack lowered the telescope. The fish people began to hold our crew hostage, me included. I could not even manage to understand what was happening when I felt a tight grip on my hair and arm. The man, fish, thing standing in front of Jack was clearly the captain, Davy Jones.

"You have a debt to pay." He began to take steps towards Jack, peg leg making the action more poignant. "You've been captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. That was out agreement."

"Technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon." Jack pointed out.

"Then you were a poor captain but a captain nonetheless." Jones walked past him and began to mock him. "Have you not been introducing yourself for all of these years as _Captain Jack Sparrow_?" The fish crew laughed, making me even more frustrated in my restrictions.

"You have my payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there." Jack turned to Jones.

"What?" I couldn't help but speak out. It was an accident and I immediately regretted it. Everyone turned to look at me, an annoyed Jack included.

"And what is this, Sparrow?" Jones took a few steps towards me, causing me to cower.

"No one, just one of my crew members, good with numbers, bloody useless beyond that." He tried to dull me down, something I actually didn't mind if it saved my life.

"Interesting choice of company you keep these days." Jones looked me over then, thankfully, turned back to the conversation. "One soul is not equal to another regardless."

"Ah! So we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price." Jack pointed out, making me wonder if he knew that Will wasn't enough and was only stalling in order to gain more time.

"Price?" Jones suddenly looked interested.

"Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?" Jack looked more confident now that he had something to possibly escape with. However, the price of Jack Sparrow nearly shocked us all.

"One hundred souls, three days." Jones finalized the payment. One hundred souls, one hundred people needed to serve Jones in order to save Jack. I looked to Jack wondering what he would say.

"You're a diamond, mate. Send me the boy, I'll get started right off." Jack seemed happy about this and I gave a short prayer that, if nothing else, Will would be okay. Jack moved to leave when one of the fish people stopped him.

"I keep the boy, a good faith payment." Jones dismissed Jack's plan. "That leaves you with ninety-nine more to go." Jones laughed heartily and I felt, once again, helpless.

"Have you not met Will Turner?" Jack turned back to Jones and began to circle him. "He's noble, heroic, terrific soprano, worth at least four… maybe three and a half. And did I happen to mention that he is in love, with a girl, due to be married, betrothed. Dividing him from her, her from him, would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them to be joined in holy matrimony. Aye?" At this point I had begun a series of Hail Mary's, praying that Jack knew what he was doing. Jones paused for a moment, no doubt thinking of the woman who broke his heart, and no doubt turning cold again.

"I keep the boy. Ninety-nine souls. But I wonder, Sparrow, can you live with this? Can you condemn an innocent man- a friend- to a lifetime of servitude in your name while you run free?" Jones asked him. I felt my eyes wander to Jack's and he gave me a brief glance.

"Yep! I'm good with it. Should we seal it in blood? I mean, mm, ink?" Jack held out his hand and Jones grabbed it, coating it with a think slim, making us all grimace.

"Three days." Jones reminded him, and turned, walking off and somehow vanishing, transporting back to their ship. I stumbled when I felt my hair be released and put my hand to the sore spot. The whole crew tried to readjust and no one would put it against anyone for whimpering or trembling, and honestly I wouldn't hold it against any man if they cried because I was very close myself.

"Oh Mr. Gibbs." Jack stared at his slime covered hand.

"Aye." Gibbs was by his side in a second, hardly rattled by the event or good at hiding it.

"Uh, I feel sullied and unusual." Jack was clearly stunned. I was standing where I was, trying to catch my breath. Will was gone. I could hear Jack talking about going to Tortuga to harvest the souls, but I was so perplexed at the moment. I don't know how long I was standing there. I didn't come out of it until Jack laid a hand on my shoulder. I could see his mouth forming words but I didn't want to hear them and all of a sudden I reached up and slapped him, ridiculously hard for someone of my caliber, making him stumble a bit.

"You are a damned and savage pirate, Jack Sparrow." I told him before stalking of to the cabin, the crew's eyes on me.

It maybe was not very smart of me to run off to the Captain's cabin in order to avoid the Captain, but I was not going to try and learn to sit in a hammock now. I was lying in bed with my knees pulled into my chest and my back to the door when I heard a knock and, after I did not even try to attempt to answer it, the door open.

"I do not want to talk to you."

"I'll let him know, lass." I turned to see that it was Gibbs carrying a tray of food, not Jack. "He'll be at the helm all night anyway."

"Good." I watched him sit the tray on the desk. "Thank you."

"If it's any consolation, lass, he seems put off by your words." Gibbs gave me a subtle salute before leaving. I went over to the food and picked up a piece of bread that was unsurprisingly stale. This was not a time for me to be thinking of myself of course, but I could not help but imagine what being a pirate would be like. Would I become a person like Jack who, no matter how good I could try to be, I would still have to behave like a selfish, uncaring, and ruthless being who survived off of stale bread and rum? I left the bread down and returned to bed, dozing off soon after.

I woke up the next morning by nothing but the sunlight, which was strange because there was usually always someone waking me. I sat myself up with a moan and looked around. The tray of food was gone but other than that, there was no sign of anyone else being in the room. I pulled the tangles out of my hair with a brush and braided it before cleaning up as much as I could and going on deck. The few people on deck didn't make I contact with me as I looked around for Jack who was easily spotted at the helm. Walking up to him, I could tell he was so preoccupied with his compass and what had happened the day before that he not only had dark circles under his eyes and his face in his compass, but he also didn't see me coming. A confused look came over his face and he shook the compass.

"Bloody hell?" He suddenly looked up and sighed. "Oh, I see." I only looked at him. I had not thought of what I was going to say.

"What do you see?"

"Nothing luv, just a sudden change in direction." He gave the compass another shake for good measure. I decided to be direct about it.

"No matter what your answer is to this question you will still be my Captain but, you may lose me as even a friend." I forewarned him. "Do you plan on saving Will?"

"Yes." He answered swiftly and with a nod.

"If you are lying to me,"

"I wouldn't." He insisted. "If there is anything that you need to know about Jones, luv, it's that he's as good as the devil. He does everything with a cruel vengeance. If he thought even for a second that I was any kind of a changed man, he would've killed William on the spot, probably the crew as well, and any hope of saving Elizabeth would be gone." I searched his face and found honesty.

"Fine." I nodded, letting him know I believed him.

"I do apologize though, Baily." He did happen to look sorry. Maybe Gibbs had been right.

"Have someone take the helm, Jack." I told him then made my way back to the cabin. It only took a moment for him to come in after me.

"Is this really the time, luv?" He spoke the words suggestively then looked taken aback by himself. "I can't believe those words left my mouth."

"This is decidedly not what you think anyway." I gave him a look. "I am prepared to forgive you, Captain, however there are some conditions."

"Which are?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"We make a plan, a real one. Even if it may seem rather impossible, we will make a plan that includes saving Will and Lizzie. We then find a way to save your life, even if that seems impossible as well." I laid out the provisions plainly.

"Fair enough." He nodded. "Anything else?" I walked up to him and gently place my hands on his face.

"For all things that are holy, get some sleep."

"I have to man the helm, luv." He shook his head and pulled my hands down. I gave him a knowing look.

"Are we on the path to Tortuga?"

"Yes but,"

"And do you want me to forgive you?" I nodded and he followed the movement.

"Yes."

"Then," I placed my hand in his and pulled him towards the bed, "Lay down and rest."

"Can I make a condition to your conditions?" He asked as he sat on the bed and began to remove his boots.

"Maybe," I looked at him suspiciously.

"You have to stay next to me." He laid back and patted the space next to him. With a sigh, I went around and lay next to him, boots and all. Jack moved his arm around my shoulders. "Is this alright?"

"Stay focused, Captain." I reminded him but moved closer, laying my head on his chest.

"Right, right." He nodded, already sounding tired. "Maybe you should do something to help me along."

"Such as?" I looked up at him and noticed his eyes had already closed.

"A story, or even a song." He suggested.

"Have you not grown tired of hearing my voice yet?" I sat up a bit and rested on my elbow so I was looking down at him. He opened his eyes, but only a little.

"Never, I want to hear your voice forever." He reached up and moved the hair out of my face. He closed his eyes again and soon he was asleep. I reached down and stroked his cheek with the back of my hand.

"You better keep your promise, Captain. I need you."

We somehow managed to get on track for Tortuga so we would arrive by nightfall, making me think the shipwreck we saw was an unlucky crew in dire need of supplies. Speaking of which, I realized that we were also in dire need of supplies so I went to find Gibbs.

"Mr. Gibbs," I walked over to where he was telling Marty to adjust the sails.

"Yes, lass?" He turned his attention to me.

"Who is in charge of the supplies on this ship?" I looked around at the crew, or lack there of.

"Well," He thought for a moment, "You are."

"Pardon?" I blinked, not expecting that answer.

"The supplies costs money, the Quartermaster is in charge of the money, therefore, the Quartermaster is in charge of the supplies." He shrugged and I gaped. I had never had to do this job before.

"Alright then, I will get on that." I nodded and went to figure out where to start. I slid into the cabin and quietly went to Jack's desk. Upon sitting, I noticed many books, large books that contained lists and charts and numbers and documents and records and whatever you could think of from which ships were encountered to how many eggs the chicken laid.

"Extensive isn't it?" Jack's voice made me jump slightly but laugh.

"I knew you weren't sleeping." I shook my head. He turned his head and looked at me.

"I thought you were supposed to stay by me." He pointed out.

"Well I have work to do." I motioned to the books.

"You don't have to do that, luv. I haven't had a Quartermaster in some time."

"Well no wonder you lack sleep, you have so many jobs." I turned back to the books. "I can do this." I found the book that was for supplies and a quill. I ignored the sound of Jack climbing out of bed and walking over to me.

"If you need to know anything just ask, Quartermaster." He looked down at me, making me smile. He had yet to tell me I was incapable to do something that was not usually meant for a girl like me. I looked up at him.

"I certainly will, Captain." I smiled lightly. Jack leaned down and kissed me chastely for a moment.

"We'll find them, luv." He promised me.

"I know." I nodded. He swooped down again and kissed me, this time with more enthusiasm. Sometimes I forgot that was entitled to a kiss every once and a while. I some how gravitated upwards until I was standing and Jack could slide into the chair before pulling me back down onto his lap. His arm was wrapped around me and he had a hand on my thigh. I let one of my hands cradle his neck and the other rest on his chest. I felt him gently squeeze my thigh making me gasp, giving him the opportunity to slide his tongue between my lips. He was a pirate through and through. This was something I had only read about in books I wasn't supposed to be reading and, admittedly, I was very put off at the notion that someone else's tongue would ever go in my mouth, but I was quickly becoming a devotee of the action. Part of me wondered if I was even good at this, but Jack moaned when I began to massage the part of his scalp that hadn't succumbed to braids or dreadlocks so I decided that I was. This was the kind of kiss that made me realize there wasn't enough time, skin, or air in the world, especially air. We pulled away from each other when our faces were nearly blue.

"Jack Sparrow, where do you get off, kissing someone like that?" I panted lightheartedly.

"I could ask you the same question, luv." He kissed me lightly again.

"You are very good at this." I had to give him the credit he deserved.

"Really? I haven't kissed someone in quite a while, I thought I would have gotten stale." He admitted as he kissed both of my cheeks very sweetly.

"And why is that?"

"Because I love you," He kissed my nose, "And I haven't stopped thinking about you since I met you." He continued to place tiny kisses on my skin. He was so nonchalantly that I almost didn't hear him. He never faltered in his caresses so I had to grab his face and bring his lips back to mine.

"I love you too." I couldn't help but feel extremely amused, even when a knock came at the door. "I forgot; we are supposed to be working."

"They can get to Tortuga without us." He was about to lean in but stopped him.

"We need to make a plan, remember?" I raised an eyebrow at him. The knock came again and we answered, getting back to work.

The plan that we had come up with by the time we reached Tortuga was to have Gibbs and Jack gather as many new crewmembers as possible while I sent the crew that we _did_ have on a hunt for supplies (only after striking fear into each and everyone of them so they wouldn't buy too much rum, or gamble with the ship's money.) And finally I took a look at the lower parts of the ship all while trying not to think so much about Will and Lizzie. I was going to find them but worrying about them was very distracting. The job took longer than I expected, but soon enough I was able to answer questions that the crew asked me about what we needed and where things went.

I finally made my way above deck and noticed that Gibbs was back.

"Gibbs, where is the Captain?" I walked up to him but stopped when I felt hands over my eyes.

"Don't worry luv, it's me." Jack told me in my ear.

"No worries Mr. Gibbs, I found him." I reached up and tried to move his hands but they stayed in place.

"Luv, I have a surprise for you."

"Is it bad?" The last thing I needed was more bad news.

"Surprisingly not. Remember when I told you that you're good luck?" He turned me in a new direction.

"Which time?"

"Any time."

"Yes, I remember now what is it?" I was growing impatient. Suddenly his hands moved and the first thing I saw was… James?

"James?" I blinked and looked him over. "You look awful." There was no way to put it nicely as I watched him get sick over the rail.

"Sorry luv," Jack moved my head so I focused on the blonde haired boy patting James's back. It took a moment but then I looked closer and gasped.

"Lizzie?" I nearly screamed when she turned her head, her eyes going as wide as mine. We immediately embraced tightly and I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. "How did you get here?"

"Well the last thing I could do was sit in a cell and let you do all of the work." She sniffled. When we parted and dried our eyes, I took a deep breath.

"There are so many things that I have to tell you." I was grabbed her hand and pulled her to the galley. And that was the beginning of spending all night telling each other everything that had happened during the weeks we were apart. She had escaped prison, dressed as a boy and stowed away on a ship, directed the ship to Tortuga, and found us, all on her own. Then I explained finding Jack, visiting Tia Dalma, and everything between Jack and I because if I wanted anyone to know about the men in my life, it was Lizzie.

"So three curses and a sovereignty?" Lizzie thought about what Tia Dalma had told me. "Do you know what she meant by that?"

"Truthfully I haven't thought much about it. I have so many things to worry about and a prophecy is just too much to try and decipher at the moment." I sighed at the thought of it.

"That is completely understandable. Cross that bridge when needed, I want to talk about Jack then." She smiled at my smile. "I had no idea you liked him so much. I mean I thought you fancied him a bit, like you fancied John a bit, but you really like him. Do you love him?" She asked me, taking me aback.

"Actually I," I was about to respond when she interrupted me.

"If only he was able to at least step foot on a port. Does is it bother you that he is a pirate?" She continued on the conversation nonetheless.

"No, not at all." I shook my head.

"Have you told him about the pardon?" She brought up the letters of mark and I shook my head again.

"No, again, not at all." I took a deep breath. Now was a good time to tell her the truth. "I have something to tell you, and you are not going to like it." She sat a bit straighter.

"I feel I can handle just about anything right now." She admitted.

"There is pardon for Jack." I began.

"Yes, I know." She nodded.

"There is a pardon for you and Will as well." I took in another deep breath.

"What?" Lizzie tilted her head in confusion, then in realization. "What did you do?"

"Beckett assumed that I had pull in the pirate world and assumed that I was already a pirate, or at least working with them. So I made a deal with him."

"What deal?" She eagerly leaned in, preparing for the worst I'm sure.

"I am to help Will retrieve the compass from Jack, and Will is to hand over the compass to Beckett. In return, there will be a pardon for you, Will, and Jack."

"And for you?" Tears formed in her eyes as I shook my head.

"No, that was not part of the deal. I am a pirate by law now, and I cannot go back with you. He agreed to turn a blind I if Will returns without me." I told her, finally telling someone the news.

"No, that is not fair; that is not right! You should be able to come home!" Lizzie stood from her seat.

"Lizzie, I will be okay." I tried to tell he but she just shook her head. "Lizzie," I tried to stop her as she left the galley but it was no use. Sighing, I made my way to the cabin where Jack was sitting at his desk, looking at the books. "Are they alright?" I went to look over his shoulder.

"Perfect, luv." He looked up at me. "I heard yelling."

"That you did, Captain." I went to the bed and removed my boots, not elaborating on the subject. I proceeded to tell Jack to look away as I slid on a dressing gown before going under the covers. "You can look now."

"Not that it's my business, though it is my ship… are you two right?" He asked me and I shrugged.

"I am not so sure what is going through her head. I told her about something I have done and I don't know what she thinks she can do about it now."

"What have you done?" He leaned forward in his chair.

"I made the choice after we were arrested, to make sure Will and Lizzie go free."

"And the price for this would be?" Jack narrowed his eyes.

"It just so happened to cost me my freedom." I told him. It was much easier saying it a second time.

"What?!" Jack stood immediately. However, the reaction was the same.

"Calm down, it is already done and I am happy with my decision." I sat up on my knees as Jack came over and sat on the bed, looking at me.

"What did you do, exactly luv?" He asked though I could tell that he already knew. So I turned my back to him and pulled down the right shoulder of my gown.

"I got to choose where they put it and everything." Right there on the back of my right shoulder was the infamous "P" branded into my skin. "I hid it perfectly well." I looked my shoulder to see Jack just staring for a moment before reaching out and grazing his thumb over it, making a shiver shoot down my back.

"What are you going to do?" He pulled up the shoulder of the gown and turned me around.

"Well I happen to know a very good pirate who is in need of a Quartermaster." I smiled softly.

"What makes you think you've got the skill?" He asked me as if he was serious.

"Well, not only are my books perfect, but he once said that I was good with numbers, just bloody awful at all of the other things." I reminded him of his words and he chuckled. "And," I wrapped my arms around his neck. "He is quite in love with me I believe."

"Are you planning to abuse this newly found information?" He didn't seem to mind very much.

"Absolutely." I nodded. He shook his head before kissing me once again.

"Welcome to the crew, luv."


	15. A Plan

**Here's a little reading assignment before you start this chapter, reread the last two chapters. I've updated them both; the last chapter is especially different. So read those first then read this one. **

**Thank you!**

For the first time in a while, I woke up before Jack. I sat up then turned so my feet rested under my pillow and I could look down at his peaceful face. I prayed that we would find a way out of this mess that we were in. He was only given three days and an impossible task on either end. We either find one hundred souls, unlikely, and serve them to Davy Jones, which was beyond how selfish Jack was no matter how much he tried to pretend, or we find this chest and kill Davy Jones, which was also unlikely because it was locked and we didn't have the key. I also believed that this wasn't the type of item that we could just bang against a rock and it would open for us. I sighed then slipped my hand under the unlaced portion of his shirt so I could place my hand on his chest. Heartbeats were such powerful things and it was hard to imagine having to live without feeling his. He began to stir until he opened his eyes. He looked at me then to my hand, then back to me with a raised eyebrow.

"I just wanted to feel it." I took my hand away and pulled my knees closer to my chest. He sat up and grabbed my hand.

"Go ahead luv, it's yours." He placed it back where it was.

"My concern is for how long." I splayed my fingers on his chest. "Please tell me you have one last miracle in you." I asked quietly, not looking him in the eyes. He placed his hand against my cheek, making me look up.

"You are the only one I am concerned about. That's why I have a plan."

Jack and I exited our cabin not much longer after that and we headed on deck. I immediately spotted Lizzie.

"Elizabeth," I called her as I approached. She turned to me and sighed. "I know you're mad." But she shook her head.

"I'm not mad; I'm frustrated. One thing seems to go wrong after another. Why can't things go back to the way they used to be?" She asked me with such sincerity I wondered if she really wanted an answer, not that I could give it to her.

"Lizzie, don't worry about me, alright? I will be fine." I promised her.

"How can you say that? You'll be a pirate. You'll have to spend the rest of your life sailing with Captain Jack…" She trailed off as she came to the realization. "You'll be sailing with Jack." She turned to my now smiling face.

"You never let me answer when you asked if I loved him." I reminded her.

"I knew it." She laughed. I half expected her to be angry. "No wonder you're so happy." She hugged me and I returned it tightly. "I'm so glad you're happy."

"Ah, a reunion!" Jack came up to us with Gibbs on his heels.

"Captain Sparrow, just the man I wanted to see." Lizzie stood up straighter and reached into the pocket of her vest, pulling out a package bound in leather that looked familiar.

"And what's this?" Jack took it from her and opened it, revealing the letters of mark that were in Beckett's office. "Letters of mark… full pardon…" Jack mumbled as he read. Gibbs looked over his shoulder and saw the signature.

"Beckett!" Gibbs spat his name like it was poison in his mouth.

"Yes, they're signed, Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company." Lizzie nodded.

"Agh." Jack stuck out his tongue in distaste then looked to me. "You knew about this?"

"Yes I did. How do you think I got that scar?" I asked him and he raised an eyebrow.

"You and Will were working for Beckett this whole time?" Gibbs looked at me in betrayal.

"Well not really, I was planning to stay." I gave him a soft smile and he loosened up a bit. "However, Beckett does want this compass something fierce." Jack groaned again, gripping his wrist where his brand was.

"Only one reason for that." Gibbs looked to Jack knowingly.

"Of course, he wants the chest." Jack realized.

"Yes, he did say something about a chest." Lizzie nodded, making me look at her confused. She left out a lot of details about how exactly these letters fell into her lap.

"If the company controls the chest, they control the seas." Gibbs informed us.

"And that would be no good." I thought back to the conversation I had with Beckett. "Especially for pirates." I concluded thoughtfully.

"I think there's a bit more speed to be coaxed from those sails. Brace the foreyard!" Gibbs ran off to spout orders while I turned to Lizzie.

"Lizzie, how did you get these?" I grabbed the letters from Jack, inspecting them.

"Persuasion." She chose her words carefully.

"Friendly?" Jack questioned.

"Decidedly not." She smiled smugly.

"Will strikes a deal for these and upholds it with honor. Yet you're the one standing on behalf of England and the East India Trading Company. As if I could be bought at such a low price." He scoffed haughtily. I rolled my eyes then turned back to Lizzie.

"Lizzie, you aren't getting a pardon if you forcefully stole these from Beckett." I explained to her.

"Oh," She suddenly realized what I was saying. Jack and I exchanged looks.

"Don't worry, Lizzie." I reassured her, "To be honest, I'm not even sure if Beckett would have upheld his end of the bargain. He wouldn't have to now that I'm unlawful."

"That's very true." Jack concurred. Hearing that news, Lizzie sighed and told us she needed a moment with her thoughts. I leaned against the railing beside Jack.

"What is so special about this compass anyway?" I finally asked him. "Why doesn't Beckett just get his own?" Jack looked at me incredulously.

"You really don't know?"

"I seem to be the last person on this ship, apparently. I asked Gibbs once but he said I should hear it from you." I thought back to the day Gibbs became smug and directed me to the Captain. Jack chuckled and pulled it from his pocket.

"This compass," He held it up, "Points to whatever the holder wants most in this world." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"No it doesn't."

"It does." He nodded. "It points to whatever you want most and this is the only one like it, got it from Tia Dalma herself." He practically bragged.

"That is impossible."

"Improbable, luv." He corrected me. "I can prove it, too."

"How?" I asked with uncertainty.

"When I hold it," He opened it and turned it so I could see the little arrow pointing straight at me, straying only when I did. "It almost always points to you."

"Really?" I felt the heat rise to my face.

"Why do you think I shake it so often? It's hard to get it to point to what you want second. That's why Elizabeth is providing our heading. She wants to save young William and to save young William we need the chest so, i.e. she wants the chest most."

"That is amazing." I stared at it for a moment then looked to Jack. "So of everything in the entire world, silver, gold, and the like, you want me? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Aye, luv." He nodded. And that was how we found ourselves rather aggressively kissing in the rum closet.

Every time I kissed Jack I learned something new. At that moment I learned that he rather enjoyed it when I showed a bit of confidence. I had pulled him into the closet and pushed him against the door, reaching up to kiss him. I also learned that having someone else in charge went against his captain ways and he couldn't have that. I gasped openly as Jack picked me up by the backs of my thighs in order to wrap my legs around his waist and pin me against the door. I hoped no one was looking for us. It had been at least ten minutes now.

"My apologies." He didn't even try to part the kiss to mumble the words. I just moaned and grabbed his face. His hand began to move up into my hair when suddenly it was gone; everything was gone. I was as close to throwing a tantrum than I had ever been as I slid to my feet without Jack's support.

"There better be a good reason," I began then I noticed the horror being expressed vibrantly on his face. I followed his gaze, only to see that the black spot that had been removed with ink was now back. "Oh."

"It's back, why is it back? I have another day." He looked so helpless at that moment.

"I don't know. You made a pact though. He signed in ink." I tried to reassure him, and unfortunately myself.

"Maybe it's time for that jar of dirt." He suggested before taking my hand and leading us out of the closet. Just as we got into the hallway we heard the fateful words "Land ho!" be uttered from the deck. Jack retrieved his jar of dirt from the cabin and before we left I stopped him.

"I love you." I told him before reaching up and hugging him. He hugged me back the best he could with a jar in his hand.

"I love you." He kissed the top of my head and we headed back on deck. A long boat had been prepared to go to the island. Jack, Lizzie, and I stepped in the boat first, Jack and I on one end, Lizzie on the other. James sat next to her; he was there in case we needed manpower. Then Pintel and Ragetti sat in the middle in order to row, which ended up being a very bad idea seeing as they spent the majority of the time bickering about the pronunciation of 'Kraken'. While the two distracted the others with annoying banter, I silently slipped my hand into Jack's and we interlaced our fingers. I prayed this chest would help us, at least as a bargaining tool.

Once on the actual island, we left the boat to our bickering rowers and followed wherever the magic compass led Lizzie. Now, I loved Lizzie very much, but she was driving us all nearly insane with her lack of ability to follow the compass. Every time one of us tried to help, she waved us off. Finally we made it to a hilly place in the sand and we all stood while she tried to figure out what she was doing.

"Not very good at following direction, hm?" Jack watched her in frustration.

"In our defense we were brought up to sit up straight and maintain a well run household, not hunt for treasure and read compasses." I reminded him as we continued to watch Lizzie go back and forth until she gave up and plopped down into the sand.

"This is hopeless."

"Maybe you should," I nudged Jack and motioned to Lizzie. He rolled his eyes and went over to her. He looked down at the compass for a moment then made a shooing motion with his hands at Lizzie.

"Move."

"Captain," I warned him.

"No, she's sitting on it. She needs to move." He shooed her again then motioned for James to begin digging. He looked so painfully bitter about being a part of Jack's crew. Lizzie came and stood by us. I had toughened up but I didn't have the hands to dig into the sand for who knows how long and I doubted Lizzie did either. Jack on the other hand just enjoyed having no obligations to work.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Lizzie asked him as James started to dig.

"It's where the compass points." He shrugged then sat on the sand. "You may want to have a seat, this may take a while." I heard James mumble something about a 'bloody pirate' as I sat next to Jack, Lizzie following suit. We were quiet for a moment before Lizzie spoke up.

"You know, Jack, I may not be the best with a compass but I do know my way around a sword." She announced and we both turned to look at her. "I'm just letting you know in case you ever hurt her." She smiled at us both before lying back in the sand. Jack turned to me with a raised eyebrow but I only shrugged.

"I wouldn't doubt her captain." I knew Lizzie was unstoppable when she put her mind to something.

"Well with your navigation skills, I would say you wouldn't even be able to find me." He talked back smartly, making us all laugh… James included.

It took about a half an hour or so before we all heard what we were waiting for. The sound of metal against wood, a shovel hitting a chest. We all stood quickly and went over to see it. It was covered in sand but I could immediately tell it was a chest. I kneeled, the rest of the group on the same accord. We scooped out the sand around it and pulled it up. Jack used a shovel to break the lock and open it.

"He was a sentimental one then." I immediately noticed the romance letters. I would have loved to read them, but at the moment I had bigger concerns. Jack slowly pulled out the smaller chest that was inside and we all slowly leaned in to listen. Sure enough we heard a thump.

"It's real!" Lizzie glowed with pride for finding the chest, somewhat.

"You actually were telling the truth." James seemed more amazed at that then the actual chest.

"I do that a lot, yet people are always surprised."

"With good reason!" We all turned and saw Will standing there soaking wet but alive! I ran to him first and squeezed him.

"I have missed you so much!" I squeezed him once more.

"I missed you too." He kissed my forehead and I moved aside for Lizzie to get her turn.

"How did you get here?" I asked him, still in shock.

"Sea turtles, a pair of them wrapped to my feet." He told us all. He was now in part of the crazy stories going around.

"Not as easy as it looks, yeah?" Jack knew this story well.

"But I do have to say that I owe you, Jack. After I trusted your words over my best friend's," Will pointed to me, "And got tricked onto that ship to square your debt with Jones,"

"What?" Lizzie looked between Jack and I.

"What?" Jack played surprise but I nodded in confirmation.

"I was reunited with my father." He told us, making my jaw drop.

"Really?" I had known he wanted to know his father for some time. Even when he tried to say he had forgotten him, I knew that he wanted to meet him or at least know who he was.

"Yes, and I have a duty to that I need to upheld." He took a key from around his neck and headed for the chest.

"What are you doing?" Jack looked down on him.

"I'm going to kill Jones." Will seemed so determined. He looked positively… like no longer a boy. Suddenly, Jack drew his sword and pointed it at Will, making Lizzie gasp.

"Can't let you do that, William. Because if Jones is dead, who's going to call off his terrible beastie? Now if you please, the key." Jack held out his hand and Will stood but surprisingly pulled the sword from Elizabeth's belt instead of handing the item over.

"I keep my promises I make, Jack. I intend to free my father. I hope you're here to see it." His words were laced with ill intent. Suddenly another sword was drawn, James's.

"I can't let you do that either, so sorry." James told Will.

"I knew you'd warm up to me eventually." Jack smiled but James turned on him.

"Lord Beckett desires the contents of the chest. I deliver it and get my life back." He explained his reasoning.

"Ah, the dark side of ambition." Jack shook his head while I was beyond shocked at how quickly this escalated.

"Are you all really doing this now?" I nearly shouted and they all looked at me. "We have bigger things to worry about." Obviously I had no pull at the moment because all hell broke loose. There were swords clanging in all directions and all three men were fighting each other as Lizzie and I looked on. I couldn't help but sigh.

"What do we do?" Lizzie looked to me but I could only shrug.

"Just sit back and marvel at how ridiculously primal they all look." I told her as we watched them run into the water. But I suddenly saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Looking in the distance, I saw the fish crew from Davy Jones ship, and in the other direction, I saw Pintel and Ragetti running off with the chest. "New plan, Lizzie. Follow that chest!" I pointed to where Pintel and Ragetti were running into the woods and we began to chase them. It wasn't very hard after we got out of the sand, and soon we had stopped them. "Now that's not very nice." I put my hands on my hips.

"We'll ma'am, we was just," Ragetti looked to Pintel who didn't know what to say to their Quartermaster either. Luckily for them, or really unluckily for all of us, a hatchet flew past our heads and we turned to see the crew of Davy Jones's ship rushing towards us.

"Run!" I yelled at and we all took off in a sprint only to have Pintel and Ragetti drop the chest. The crew was too close to pick it up and go so I gave a new order, "Fight!"

It wasn't easy fighting a large crew of fish people whilst sharing three swords amongst four people, and running for our lives. No, it wasn't easy at all. Not to mention that after a while I realized that we didn't actually have the chest anymore. I took cover behind a tree and looked around. It couldn't have been far and I was right. Not very far away I saw a crewmember with a shell for a head running back towards the beach with the chest in hand. I made sure I was clear before I ran after him. We had worked too hard and had been through too much to just lose it now. I was closing the distance between us when all of a sudden something flew through the air and hit him, knocking his head off in the process. I jumped back with a yelp and looked to see it was a coconut that had done it and, turning my head, saw that it was my fateful Captain who had thrown it.

"I am so happy to see you." I panted, placing a hand over my heart.

"Having fun?" He asked as we approached the chest.

"Always." I nodded and kneeled down in front of the newly obtained treasure as Jack produced a key. "You won?"

"Of course." He said it as if it was obvious. I kept my retorts to myself as the anticipation grew. This was what we had been waiting for. Jack opened the chest and revealed it, the heart of Davy Jones. It was a real life, beating heart. I wondered if that was what all hearts looked like as Jack picked it up for a moment. I stared in awe but was broken out of my trance by the roar of Davy Jones's crew racing towards us. "We better go." I closed the chest and Jack slid the beating thing into his vest then we took off. We got to the long boat before everyone else and looked around.

"We've got to hide it." He told me. I noticed the jar of dirt and picked it up.

"Put it in here." I opened it and in went the heart. It was still visible so I shook it a bit, a lot really, to cover the heart, sending some dirt flying. I spit it out of my mouth but closed the jar nonetheless. I looked up and my eyes widened. "Jack behind you!"

He turned and saw the fish person wielding a sword behind him. Quickly thinking, Jack picked up an oar and I followed his lead. We fought the crew but they weren't human and weren't going down. Suddenly, in the midst of it all, a huge wheel came from the forest and everyone paused for a moment and watched as it went into the water. Will and James stumbled out only after it had fallen over on it's side. Everyone went back to fighting at that point. I noticed James run over to the long boat but I couldn't lose focus or I was going to get seriously hurt or worse. James took off running and Pintal and Ragetti went up to the boat next. I knocked down my crewmember and looked over to the boat, where Will was stopping the duo from escaping with it. Thank goodness someone was watching the boat. There were many crewmembers and only six of us so it wasn't a surprise when we all found ourselves backing into the boat, surrounded. Just then I saw Jack turn around and hit Will in the head, making him go unconscious.

"What are you doing?!" I asked him as I kept fighting and Lizzie went to see if he was okay.

"Leave him lie!" Jack ordered as we all congregated at the boat. "Unless you're going to use him to hit something with."

"He's right." I had to admit as I looked around at our opponents.

"We aren't getting out of this alive." Lizzie chimed in. Suddenly James turned to the boat and grabbed the chest.

"Not with the chest, into the boat." He reached in and grabbed the chest.

"You're mad!" Lizzie told him while I found the whole thing suspicious.

"Don't wait for me." He told her before running off, fighting off the crewmembers as the followed him. It was definitely suspicious.

"I say we respect his final wishes." Jack directed and we all agreed, immediately getting into the boat. Pintel and Ragetti rowed as fast as they could back to the Black Pearl. When we got to the ship Jack took the jar of dirt and everyone boarded, Pintel and Ragetti pulling Will on deck and laying him on the ground. I stayed by Jack as he walked.

"Where's the commodore?" Gibbs came up and was on Jack's heels.

"He fell behind." Jack told him simply.

"My prayers be with him, best not wallow in our grief." Gibbs didn't need any time for mourning as he followed Jack and I on higher deck. "The bright side is you're back and you made it off free and clear." And as if his words jinxed us all, the Flying Dutchman rose up dramatically beside the Pearl. "Lord Almighty."

"Well this is just getting better and better." I tried not to be negative but in times like these I was allowed frustration.

"I'll handle this, luv." Jack smirked at me then yelled to the other ship. "Hey, fish face! Lose something, hey?" He held the jar of dirt above his head and began to walk, as the crew of both the Dutchman and the Pearl looked on expectantly. All of a sudden he tripped down the stairs, making everyone flinch. This wasn't making things better at all. Jack got up with the jar still in tact, however, and continued his taunting. "Come to negotiate, eh, have you, you slimy git?" I winced at the comment. "Look what I've got. I've got a jar of dirt! I've got a jar of dirt and guess what's inside it?" Jack teased in a singsong voice. Jones yelled in frustration before giving the orders to begin battle. We watched as their impressive weapons emerged from the side of the ship.

"Hard to starboard?" Jack mumbled, now seeing the consequences of teasing.

"Hard to starboard!" I yelled and everyone got moving. We had begun a battle that none of us knew we were going to win. "Brace up the foreyard!" We began to do all we could to fight back and put distance between the two ships. Jack pushed Gibbs aside, jar still in hand, to take over guiding the Pearl to safety.

"She's falling behind!" Lizzie yelled after a while making Gibbs, Will, and I look over the railing as well.

"Aye, we've got her!" Gibbs cheered.

"We're faster than the Flying Dutchman?" I had to ask him. Such a mystical ship, I half thought it would be able to float above water and catch us.

"Against the wind the Dutchman beats us. That's how she takes her prey." He explained. "But with the wind,"

"We rob her advantage." Will finished for him.

"Ah!" Gibbs agreed. Jack continued to increase the distance until it seemed as if the Dutchman wasn't even trying.

"They're giving up!" Marty yelled from his place on the ropes and the whole crew erupted in cheers though I found that highly suspicious as well.

"It can't be." I shook my head and turned towards the helm where Will was talking to Jack.

"My father is on that ship. If we can outrun her, we can take her. We should turn and fight." Will told Jack, but jack just looked at him smugly.

"Why fight when you can negotiate? All one needs is the proper leverage." Jack told us, tapping the jar. Will looked to me but I didn't have any words. Something didn't feel right. Suddenly the shipped jerked and the jar went flying to the ground, spreading dirt and glass everywhere after shattering against the deck. What it didn't reveal was the heart. I could only watch as Jack went down and searched the dirt before coming back up to me.

"Where's the heart?" He asked me but I shook my head.

"I don't know but I definitely put it in there." I ran my hands through my hair, pulling a few strands with it, no doubt from the stressed feelings I was having.

"We must've hit a reef!" Gibbs yelled and everyone went to look over the rail while I stood looking at Jack for any sense of hope.

"It's not a reef!" We heard Will yell. "Get back from the rail!"

"What is it?" Gibbs asked for everyone on board.

"The Kraken! To arms!" Will yelled so we could all hear. Jack's eyes widened some before he sighed, anxiety written all over his face.

"Give me a moment." He pulled me in and kissed my forehead before walking off. I shook myself out of the feeling I was having and began to help us survive.

"All guns, defend the masts!" Gibbs ordered as I ran up to Will.

"What do we need to do?" I asked him.

"It'll attack the starboard. I've seen it before." He told me then turned to the crew. "Break out the cannons and hold for my signal!" The ship began to creek as we heard the Kraken make it's way up the sides. Will moved down to the bowels as I grabbed a spear and stood beside Lizzie. Tentacles began to show themselves over the railing and we backed up.

"Will?" Lizzie called down to him as we all began to wonder when enough was enough.

"Easy!" He yelled back up to us.

"Will I think that's good enough!" I yelled back down to him as the tentacles rose higher.

"Steady!" Will directed all of us.

"Will!" Lizzie finally yelled.

"Fire!" He gave the order and that was it. All cannons went off and the tentacles were being hit from all sides. They fell back into the water and the crew cheered once again.

"It'll be back." He told us, grabbing Lizzie's arm. "We have to get off this ship."

"There are no boats." Lizzie informed him. It was true, the boats had been broken in the moment. We looked over to the mess and saw a keg roll. Will and I shared a look.

"Pull the grates?" I asked him to see if we had the same idea and he nodded. "Pull the grates! Get all of the gunpowder onto the net in the cargo hold!" I walked around deck shouting the order, making everyone step to. Will handed Lizzie the long gun.

"Whatever you do, don't miss." He told her and she looked between us.

"As soon as you two are clear." She nodded. I went into the bowels to check the progress of the gunpowder.

"There's only a half a dozen kegs of powder!" Gibbs stopped me.

"Load the rum!" I told them all and they paused. "You can't drink it if you're dead sailors!" I reminded them as I climbed back on deck. I looked around to see if I could find the one person who we needed most. After a quick search on deck I went below to the cabins and walked into ours, only to find it empty. And at that moment I knew where to go. Where do we go when we don't want to be found?

"I knew I'd find you in the rum closet." I told Jack as I stepped inside. He was leaning against a wall that was now empty seeing as the bottles were now on the floor.

"Coward I am." He murmured, his arms crossed over his chest in thought.

"Never, Captain." I placed a hand on his shoulder. "We need you right now." He looked me in the eyes intently.

"This might be it, luv."

"Shh," I hushed him and brought him down to my level to kiss him briefly. "You need to focus." I changed the subject and grabbed his hand, unraveling his arms. "Come on." We got back on deck and Jack became a Captain again. We observed the scene around us. There were tentacles all over the place and everything was chaos. Will was hanging from the ropes that were holding the rum and gunpowder together in the air whilst egging the Kraken on, and Lizzie scrambling for the gun on the deck. Jack quickly made his way over and took it from her, aiming it at the barrels and shooting soon after, just as Will fell away from it. The explosion sent me to the ground and caused the Kraken to retreat. There weren't as many crewmembers as before, and the Pearl; the Pearl was hardly recognizable. There were splinters of woods here, small fires there.

"Did we kill it?" Marty asked.

"No," I looked over the rail. "It's only angrier no and will be back, this time quicker and with a vengeance.

"We're not out of this yet. Captain! Orders!" Gibbs ran over to Jack who began to descend the stairs to lower deck.

"Abandon ship. Into the longboat." He ordered as he handed Gibbs the long gun. Gibbs hesitated in disbelief then followed Jack.

"Jack, the Pearl!" He had been with Jack through his journey with the Pearl and now he was going to let it burn.

"She's only a ship, mate." Jack told him, melancholy laced in his voice as he took the ship in.

"He's right, we have to head for land." Lizzie agreed.

"That's a lot of open water." Pintel looked out in the distance where the island was.

"That's a lot of water." Ragetti agreed.

"We have to try." Will told them the reality of the situation. "We can get away as it takes down the Pearl."

"He's right." I didn't want to agree but it was the truth.

"Abandon ship or abandon hope." Gibbs stated. Everyone began to grab things and go to the boats as I went over to Jack, tears already spilling.

"Are you still sure?" I sorrowfully asked him and he nodded.

"It's the only way, luv."

"Okay." I nodded and wiped my cheeks. "I wish I looked prettier for this moment." It was a silly thought but a thought nonetheless.

"You look beautiful." He pulled me into a tight embrace. I reached up and kissed him with as much passion as I could gather at the moment. His hand knotted in my hair and he pulled me even closer to him, lifting me off the ground.

"Prepare to cast off!" Gibbs yelled, breaking us apart.

"You have to go." Jack leaned back and brushed the hair out my face.

"I love you." I told him, wanting him to never forget that.

"I love you so bloody much, luv." He cupped my cheek and kissed me once more before setting me down. "Go." He nudged me towards the boats. I gathered myself as much as I could as I descended the latter to the long boat. Everyone looked to me as I took a seat next to Will.

"Lass?" Gibbs looked at me a bit worried.

"Um, Jack," I took a deep breath so I could continue, "The Captain is going to stay behind with his ship so we can have a fair chance." I wiped my cheeks again, trying not to absolutely lose it in front of everyone.

"Alright boys, let's go." Gibbs finally directed after we paused. We rowed for a while until we were a good distance away.

"Baily," Lizzie began but I just shook my head. I couldn't talk, I couldn't make a sound without shattering, or at least that was what it felt like. It didn't take long before we saw the tentacles of the Kraken begin to wrap around the Pearl.

"You don't need to see this." Will told me quietly, turning my head away from the sight and burying it into his shoulder. He kept his arm around me as we began to move again towards the stretch of land.


	16. Anything and Everything

"_I just wanted to feel it." I took my hand away and pulled my knees closer to my chest. He sat up and grabbed my hand. _

"_Go ahead luv, it's yours." He placed it back where it was. _

"_My concern is for how long." I splayed my fingers on his chest. "Please tell me you have one last miracle in you." I asked quietly, not looking him in the eyes. He placed his hand against my cheek, making me look up._

"_You are the only one I am concerned about. That's why I have a plan." Jack reached up and brushed the hair out of my face. "You won't like it."_

"_What is it?" I could honestly say that at this point, any plan was better than no plan, except this plan._

"_I am going to let Jones take me." He was serious. I furrowed my eyebrows and tried to come up with a coherent rebuttal but I could only gape for a moment._

"_No." I shook my head. "That's not okay." _

"_My past is knocking, luv." He told me gently as a stream of tears began to fall from my eyes. "If anything happens, and we don't recover the chest, this is my choice." He wasn't going to let me change his mind. "I know that it isn't preferable, Baily, but if the time comes, I need you to be strong." _

"_How?" I sniffled. "I'm supposed to stay behind with you and sail with you and," I couldn't even finish my sentence. Jack pulled me into his lap and wrapped his arms around me._

"_You are so much more than you think." Was all he said as I cried into his chest. "You'll be great without me."_

**Present**

I thought back to that conversation. I knew there was no way I could have stopped him, stubborn man. He thought I could handle anything, even this feeling of losing the person that I was fully prepared to spend my life with. I didn't know if I could hold it together but I sure as hell was trying. I was still a part of this crew after all, this captain-less crew sailing towards Tia Dalma's. We had needed to get somewhere we could trust and with no maps or compasses, we were limited. I didn't talk along the way; neither did most of the remaining crew. As we got closer to the hut we began to see candles, and when we were even closer, we began to see people holding candles and humming in mourning. This was not making it any easier. Gibbs helped me out of the boat and I climbed up first. The door was already open and Tia Dalma was preparing drinks. She knew we were coming.

"Sit, everyone." She told us without turning around. I let the rest of the crew go in while I stayed on her small porch. I just needed to have a moment.

"Lass," Gibbs came from behind me, shutting the door after the last crewmember, "You can let it out." I turned to him, about to reject him, but I only began to cry. Gibbs pulled me closer and I sobbed into his chest. Everything hurt all over me, inside out. Gibbs rubbed my back as I wailed, allowing the sound to be muffled by the vest and shirt I was soaking. I don't know how long it took for me to calm down, but when I pulled away, gasping, I noticed that Gibbs's eyes looked a bit red themselves.

"I know he wouldn't want me to be this way." I sloppily wiped my face with my sleeves.

"He wouldn't want any of us to be." Gibbs agreed. He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know he stayed for you, Baily. I could see it in his eyes when he told us to abandon ship. He truly loved you." I nodded and took a deep breath.

"I know."

"Go on inside, get warm." He opened the door for me and I stepped in. The crew no doubt heard at least part of my episode but I needed to do it. I took a seat against the wall on a crate. Will was stabbing a dagger repeatedly into a wooden table and I could feel glances at me, but that was the only activity. Nobody talked, nobody moved. The dull thud sounded through the room as Tia Dalma began to serve the drinks. She presented one to Lizzie who shook her head.

"Against the cold, and the sorrow." Tia insisted so Lizzie took one. Tia moved on to Will. "It's a shame. I know you're thinking that with the Pearl, you could have captured the Devil and set free your father's soul." Will took a drink.

"It doesn't matter now." Will said, almost aggravated. "The Pearls gone along with his captain."

"Aye." Gibbs came in from where he was overlooking the railing. "And already the world seems a bit less bright. He fooled us all right to the end. But I guess that honest streak finally won out." He took a drink from Tia who then came to me and I didn't hesitate to take one. "To Jack Sparrow!" Tia finished passing around the drinks.

"Never another like Captain Jack." Ragetti raised his mug.

"He was a gentleman of fortune, he was." Pintel added.

"He was a good man." Lizzie looked to me as she raised her glass.

"He was a good Captain." I raised my mug and took a drink along with everyone else. I took a deep breath and ran a hand through my hair. Will looked at me intently for a moment.

"If there was anything that could be done to bring him back Baily…" He stood, but Tia Dalma stopped him from finishing.

"Would you do it?" She asked him urgently then looked at us all. "What would you, what would any of you be willing to do? Would you sail to the ends of the Earth and beyond to fetch back witty Jack and him precious Pearl?" Was she saying that she could do it? After looking around a bit, Gibbs was the first in saying he would. Then Pintel, then Ragetti, Sam, and Elizabeth. Will looked at me and nodded.

"Aye."

"I would anything and everything." I stood with hope. Tia smiled at the chance to work her magic.

"Alright! But if you're going to brave the weird and haunted shores at World's End, then you will need a captain who knows those waters." She turned her focus to the stairs and we all looked on as none other than Captain Hector Barbossa thudded down the stairs. He stopped at the end in full garb with an apple in one hand and Jack the monkey on his shoulder.

"So tell me, what's become of my ship?" He takes a huge bite out of his apple and let an impossible amount of juice run down his hand and chin then laughed hardily. We all stared in confusion and annoyance.

"I thought you were dead." I spoke first and bluntly. I turned to Tia Dalma for an explanation.

"You will need him." Was all she said and it was really all I needed. Lord Beckett could have come down those steps and I would agree with it as long as he would get Jack back. After that Tia sent us all to bed. They were the same rooms we had last time we were there. I took a room by myself this time, however. I had only pulled off my boots when there was a knock at the door and Will entered, Lizzie on his heels.

"We know that you might not want to talk," Will started as he closed the door.

"But we don't want you to feel alone." Lizzie finished for him. I looked at them for a moment until Lizzie came over and hugged me. I hugged her back tightly. I knew I had a family, no matter what. And now that Tia Dalma was suggesting that saving Jack was, though improbable, not impossible, I was feeling as good as I could have in that moment.

I was feeling hopeful.

**So this is the end of movie two. I wanted to finish this now because I feel like I'm pulling a bit of a balancing act at the moment and I at least wanted you all will have two movies worth of BailyxJack. **

**I will be doing a once over of my Criminal Minds story though. It's an easy job because I don't have to write anything, it's just grammar check so if you see updates where that is concerned, don't think I've moved on.**

**Hopefully you'll hear from me within the month. **


	17. Captain Hart

"_Don't you ever grow weary of it?" I looked through the mirror at Maria as she brushed my hair. _

"_Of what?" She asked, focused on her actions._

"_Of this mane." I picked up a lock of my hair then let the thickness fall._

"_No." She said immediately. "I know what you are thinking, child. I will not trim your hair more than usual."_

"_But," I tried._

"_I said no." She stopped me. "A lady is what you are and this is the way lady's wear their hair. Only rebels and pirates have short hair and make that statement. Not you." _

**Present**

"Sorry Maria." I spoke aloud as I looked in the mirror at myself.

"Ready?" Lizzie lifted the sheers and I nodded. In only seconds she swiftly cut the hair below the ribbon that was holding it all together. I looked at my new self, my hair just brushing my shoulders now and pulling itself into light waves. I loved it. If I were going to go on an adventure and save Jack, I would need to be the bravest form of myself. I figured the best way to do that would be to embrace my pirate side.

"I'm a pirate now."

"I really like it." Lizzie seemed surprised as she looked at me through the mirror. She wasn't happy when I told her what I wanted to do but I was glad she changed her mind. She directed her gaze from my hair to my eyes.

"We're going to save him Baily. I know it."

Walking out of my cabin and on deck, I was immediately approached by Gibbs who was clearly surprised by the change.

"You look," He smiled after a moment, "Great, lass."

"Thank you." I smiled in relief.

"Now, Captain, I have something to speak with you about." Gibbs began.

"Yes?" I was prepared to listen. For some reason, Gibbs and the crew told Barbossa that I had authority. Technically Gibbs did since he was the first mate, but that's what they told him. I guess I didn't mind. I had the fire to command one thousand men at the moment. It had been about a month since we left Tia Dalma's with one of the fishing boats as a vessel. We were currently on our way to Singapore, a place where Barbossa was sure that we would get much of what we would need to save Jack.

"We will reach Singapore within the week. Now, in the past, Barbossa has shown to have… ulterior motives." Gibbs chose the right words.

"And the crew wants to be sure of him?" I figured.

"No," Gibbs shook his head to my surprise. "The crew trusts you. If you feel safe, we do too. I just thought I would give you some friendly advice." My heart warmed at the idea that the crew put their trust in me.

"Alright, where is he?"

I waked into the conference room to see Barbossa standing over a series of large maps splayed on the table. He glanced up at his intruder then paused.

"You look different… Captain." He was getting better at saying that without much hesitation. Calling a woman over half his junior "captain" was probably harder than I could imagine. He went back to his maps.

"It was a swift decision." I walked in and sat down. "I want to thank you for being so accommodating." I told him and he seemed to roll his eyes.

"Don't play games with me; just come out with it. What do you want?" He didn't even look up.

"I don't want anything." I stood and his eyes followed. "You've probably heard things about me." He showed a mix of curiosity, uncertainty, but nonetheless a bit apprehension about the mystery woman before him. I wasn't sure what other rumors were being passed around about my "black heart", but I did know that I was going to be using it my advantage.

"Aye, I have." He nodded

"Well, then you must also know that my former Captain meant a great deal to me." I crossed my arms at the thought. "That being said, I want to help you help me."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, I want to assist you in any way I can." I knew what Gibbs told me, and this was the best way to get that done, through kindness. Barbossa looked down at the maps then back at me.

"Alright lass, uh, Captain," He corrected himself, "get over here."

Over the next few days he explained what he was thinking and I contributed with the best of my knowledge. When we thought it was good, I pulled the crew in to hear what exactly we would be doing.

"Are we clear?" Barbossa looked around when he finished explaining the plan.

"Absolutely." Lizzie nodded after looking around, speaking for the crew.

"So we're ready to go save Jack?" Will asked.

"Yes, as much as possible." I nodded, making the crew cheer before they began to exit.

"This is still interesting." Will stayed behind and touched my hair.

"I know. I thought I needed a change." I told him quietly. He gave me a reassuring smile and squeezed my shoulder before going with the crew for what I assumed was a celebration of drinks. I stayed behind with Barbossa and stared at the maps, not reading them as much as marveling at them. All of this was going to save Jack.

"Not joining your crew?" Barbossa looked across the table at me.

"No, I don't drink." I told him distractedly.

"You doubt the plan?" He asked after a moment.

"Of course not."

"Well you're looking at these maps like you're reinventing it." He observed. "You are very eager to see his return." Barbossa sat back.

"Yes, I told you. He meant a great deal to me." I sat up straight. "I see you are as well."

"Jack has something I need." He told me bluntly. "Don't worry, I won't hurt him."

"Of course not, I wouldn't let you." I told him and we made eye contact for a moment before I decided it was time for me to go. "This looks good. We should be in Singapore soon."

"Aye, Captain."

Getting to Singapore was the easiest part of our plan. It was what came after that was difficult. Will would steal the necessary map we need in order to reach our destination while Barbossa, Lizzie, and I met with Sao Feng. Tia and the crew would be placed strategically just in case anything went wrong. I prayed nothing went wrong.

"Are you ready for this?" Barbossa asked me as if I had a choice of not being ready.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be ready?" We walked across the bridge Tia Dalma was on with her monkey so we could descend the stairs. She was to be a distraction from above as the crew sawed the secret entrance open below the dock. If anything were to happen with Sao Feng, they were to be a back up. I gave her a subtle head nod as not to draw attention to us.

"Just making sure." Barbossa went ahead of me as we walked to the end of the bridge and down the stone steps.

"…And what makes you think I need protecting?" We heard the familiar voice of my cousin as we descended. I walked down and showed my face. Lizzie was holding a knife to a small Asian man's throat and two of his minions were pointing guns at her.

"I think it's in everyone's best interest to lower all the weapons." They stayed put. "Now." I ordered them, sternly but not raising my voice in the night. Lizzie slowly lowered her knife along with the other two.

"Thank you, Captain." Barbossa tipped his hat to me. The men looked at me in surprise. Barbossa continued despite them. "Your master is expecting us and an unexpected death would cast a slight pall on our meeting." Suddenly a group of soldiers marched above us and the men who were against us only a moment earlier motioned us to walk against the wall. We did as we were told and followed them through a tunnel.

"Have you heard anything from Will?" Lizzie asked as we walked behind the man we learned was Tai Huang and his men.

"I trust young Turner to acquire the charts and you to remember your place in the presence of Captain Sao Feng." Then he put a hand on my shoulder. "Both of you."

"Is he that terrifying?" Lizzie asked vainly.

"He's much like myself," He described, "But absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play." I looked at him with my eyes raised.

"I don't know about that; but listen to him Lizzie." I told her as we came and stopped in front of a large, heavy set of double doors that were guarded by two scantily clad women. "We don't want any incidents."

Tai Huang exchanged a word with the person on the other side and we got through. We all got into a line and had to remove our weapons. Barbossa went first, cooperatively passing his guns and harpoon down the line. Lizzie and I were prepared to move along, Tai Huang stopped us.

"You think because you are the Captain and she is a woman we would not suspect you of treachery?"

"Apologies, we did not mean to cause insult." I told him, trying to keep the peace. He moved in front of Lizzie first and began to direct her.

"Remove please." She started to remove her hat and clothes only to start the most time consuming yet slightly amusing removal of weaponry. She looked to me but continued to remove her outer dress when Tai Huang asked her too slyly, leaving her in a slip. Then he moved on to me. I pulled two guns from my person and passing them down the line. I had cleverly dressed in black pants, a dark blue shirt that was tucked into my pants, and black boots. That was all. I didn't feel the need while preparing to carry an armory. Tai Huang clearly didn't feel convinced.

"I will see if that is all." He looked at me suspiciously then stepped towards me only to have me step forward as well.

"You will take my for it." I told him lowly. Some of his men stood alert. Tai Huang looked around them smirked a little.

"Okay. If anything should go wrong, _Captain_, you are outnumbered anyway." He gave me slick look.

"Put your skirt on, Lizzie." I told her without breaking eye contact with Huang.

"Let's go."

We passed through a jungle of unsanitary looking men sitting in water that made me feel as if I could and would catch an illness at any moment. Luckily we reached Sao Feng not too long later. He had his back to us and his arms spread out, welcoming steam into the already very humid room. He turned around at our presence and Barbossa bowed. I immediately followed with a curtsey. Barbossa waved Lizzie down to follow our lead.

"Captain Barbossa," He paused and looked to me, "Captain Hart, welcome to Singapore." Sao Feng turned to a girl behind him. "More steam." We all rose from our places and watched him. "I understand you have a request to make me." Sao Feng got fairly close to Barbossa as he spoke.

"More of a proposal to you. I have a venture going way and happen to find myself in need of a ship and a crew." Barbossa clarified our intentions.

"What an odd coincidence." Sao Feng walked over to a man and stood in front of him.

"Because you have a ship and a crew you don't need?" Lizzie asked in hope.

"No. Because earlier this day, not far from here, a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple and tried to make off with these." He took a large canister containing charts in them from the man behind him. I silently gulped and hoped Will was all right. "The navigational charts, the route to the farthest gate. Wouldn't it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?" He threw the chart at Tai Huang who caught it perfectly.

"It would strain credulity at that." Barbossa attempted to play innocent. Sao Feng backed up from Barbossa then motioned to the men by a big tub and they pull Will out the water. I kept my face as straight as possible.

"This is the thief. Is his face familiar to you?" He asked us all but we knew better. Simultaneously we shook our heads.

"I guess we have no need for him." He pulled out a stake and moved to impale Will.

"Stop." I halted the violent act. Everyone turned to me, Barbossa included. "No need to turn him into a martyr. He is with us."

Sao put on a smug face and placed the stake back into his pocket.

"So, you come into my city and betray my hospitality." Sao stalked towards us casually.

"Sao Feng," Barbossa tried, "I assure you; we had no idea…"

"That he would get caught?!" Sao Feng jumped forward quickly making the men in the room stand. He walked over to me as he continued moving. "You intend to attempt a trip to Davy Jones' locker." Sao had made his way atop the stairs so he was looking down on us. "I can't help but wonder, why?"

Barbossa tossed Sao Feng one of the nine pieces of eight and Sao Feng caught it with a snatch. He looked at it, blew on it and put up to his ear to listen.

"The song has been sung. The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine pirate lords you must honor the call." Barbossa told him honestly. Sao Feng had a stressed look on his face as he brought the coin down from his ear and called for more steam. Unfortunately, steam didn't come up immediately. Barbossa looked weary, inwardly hoping they wouldn't get caught.

"More steam!" Finally, with much anticipation from our group, steam rose up.

"There's a price on all our heads, it is true." Sao Feng was calm again. "Since it seems the only way a pirate can turn a profit anymore is by betraying other pirates…" He looked directly at Will when he said it. Barbossa started explaining the situation at hand to Sao Feng. Well, part of it anyway.

"The first Brethren gave us rule of the sea. That rule has been challenged by Lord Cutler Beckett."

"Against the East India Trading Company, what good is the Brethren Court? What can any of us do?"

"Are you bloody serious?" I asked suddenly and aloud. There was a moment of silence so I continued. "Cutler Beckett gives a few threats and now the pirates go running scared? He wants to end us and control the seas forever. They won't be free for anyone. If he wants a fight, we must come as worthy components." I couldn't even stop the words from escaping my mouth. Sao Feng's jaw clenched as he looked down at me then slowly descended the steps but I stood my ground.

"I have heard stories of you, Captain Hart." It was strange hearing my name in such a way. He circled around me until finally he whispered in my ear, "Yet my curiosity goes untamed about you." Will struggled a bit in his restraints while I got a sickening chill down my back. I looked at Barbossa who was watching Sao Feng cautiously as he made his way back to the front.

"But I cannot help but notice that you have failed to answer my question. What is it you seek in Davy Jones' locker?" Before I could answer, Will did.

"Jack Sparrow." He told him. The two girls who accompanied Sao Feng giggled at the name. I bit the inside of my cheek but otherwise failed to respond to that.

"Yes, he is one of the pirate lords." I focused on the matter at hand. Sao Feng's face tightened at the revelation. He started pacing across the room. Talking more to himself than to us.

"The only reason why I would want Jack Sparrow back from the dead is so I could send him back myself!" He kicked over a barrel that substituted a table in rage. Barbossa walked over to him in haste.

"Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight. He failed to pass it on to a successor before he died so we have to go get him."

I looked over to them but the man sitting bare backed past Barbossa caught my eye. His tattoo was… melting.

"So you admit you have deceived me. Weapons!" Sao Feng said the words and suddenly everyone but us has a weapon.

"Sao Feng, I assure you, our intentions are strictly honorable." Barbossa told him just in time for six swords to come through the ground for Barbossa, Lizzie, and I to catch.

"Drop the weapons or I kill the man!" Abruptly, Sao Feng grabs the man with the melting tattoo and angles a sword at his neck. We all hesitated for a moment.

"You don't have to kill him, but he is not our man." I informed Sai Feng though I myself was confused. "Though I can't help but wonder, if he is not your man and he is not ours, whose is he?"

There was only a moment's pause before the East India Trading Company answered our question loudly as they burst through the wall. Immediately they began to fire and hell broke loose. We made our way around, fighting and shooting so we could get out. There were explosions and fires everywhere. Finally, we had our chance to run outside to where everyone seemed to conjure on a bridge.

"Where's Sao Feng?" I arrived in time to hear Lizzie ask Will.

"He'll cover our escape and meet us at shipwreck cove." Will told us to my surprise. Sao Feng had a sudden change of heart?

"This way, be quick." Tai Huang ordered before he led us to the cove. We got on a ship and safely exited Singapore. I sat down onto a crate and leaned my head against the rail. This was exhausting. Tia Dalma walked towards me but didn't target my attention.

"I'm happy to see you got out safely Tia Dalma." I smiled softly at her and she returned it.

"As it is good to see you Baily. You have been fulfilling your destiny well." Her answers were always so curious, but I thanked her anyway just as Lizzie came up.

"There's no place left for Sao Feng to cower. Do you think he'll keep his end of the bargain?" She asked Tia Dalma.

"I cannot say. There is an evil on these seas that even the most staunch and bloodthirsty pirates have come to fear."

I excused myself after that and checked on the crew. They were mostly in the galley, drinking and meeting with a surgeon if needed. We had yet to lose a man, something I was proud of. I began to make my way further below deck to the hammocks when I turned the corner and quite literally ran into Sao Feng.

"My apologies." I told him quickly. He was providing us with the necessary equipment to save Jack and I was already thankful for that.

"Captain Hart," He looked down at me, not seeming to want to let us part ways, "May I say that you are an enigma to me. I find that a woman has a place and on a ship is not it." I raised an eyebrow but let him continue. "However, your crew seems loyal under your command. Therefore I will hold your title to its esteem."

"Thank you." Was all I could muster which seemed to be enough for him. With a nod, he was on his way. I took a deep breath and went down to the hammocks.

This was going to be some trip.

**So it's been… a while. Sorry about that. I won't make any promises for the next chapter update since finals are around the corner and everything. **

**R&R**


	18. Over the Edge

This journey was like nothing I had ever encountered. The conditions alone were insufferable. We had encountered hurricane-like winds, a stretch of absolute silence and stillness that made our ears ring, and now we were in the tundra with the absolutely freezing conditions. I was below deck trying to keep as many sailors warm as possible. The last thing I needed was a load of sniffling, sneezing pirates so I had them taking shorter shift and huddling in the galley with the fire and hot drinks. This was one of the only times having a scarce crew was a blessing. There weren't so many mouths to feed.

"Try to ration the tea and keep that fire going." I told the chef.

"Aye, Captain." He gave me a nod and I ascended on deck. In the distance I could hear Tia Dalma fiercely telling Ragetti and Pintel why she couldn't just bring back Jack like she did Barbossa and over to the side I saw Will looking at the charts with Tai Huang. Barbossa was sailing the ship and Gibbs was making sure nothing was frozen and everything worked properly. Things were fine at the moment. I decided to infiltrate the discussions over the charts. I had looked at them the night before but had to admit I did not understand them.

"Captain," They both greeted me with a nod.

"What have we found?" I got right to business and leaned over the intricate map.

"Nothing here is set." Will moved the different pieces of the chart. "These can't be as accurate as modern charts."

"No, but it leads to more places." Tai Huang explained as the pieces slid into different phrases.

"Over the edge, over again." I read the words. "Sunrise sets, flash of green." We all looked at each other for a moment until Will stood abruptly and went over to the helm.

"Barbossa!" He got the former captain's attention before he threw the maps at him.

"Will," I gave him a warning and he suffocated his frustration some.

"Do you care to interpret, Barbossa?" He asked him. Barbossa glanced at me and I nodded, telling him to go ahead.

"Ever gazed upon the green flash, Captain Hart?" He asked me after a moment.

"No, I believe I've only heard stories." I shrugged. It was true. The story of the flash was told in some pirate books and books about the sea and its many mysteries. I, however, wrongly assumed that it was just a story along with cursed treasure and undead fish crewmen.

"Have you, Master Gibbs?" Barbossa moved on. We all looked to Gibbs who puffed out his chest, ready to tell a story.

"Aye, I reckon I seen my fair share." He nodded. "It happens on rare occasion. At the last glimpse of sunset, a green flash of light shoots up into the sky. Some go their whole lives without seeing it, some claim to have seen it that ain't. Some say,"

"It signals when a soul comes back to this world from the dead!" Pintel interrupted Gibb's dramatic tale, earning a death glare. "Sorry," He cowered. Barbossa promptly ignored the goons and continued.

"Trust me, young Master Turner; it's not getting to the land of the dead that's the problem. It's getting back." He told us.

"That's why these are so important." I concluded and Barbossa nodded and rolled the charts back up as Will and Tai Huang held their hands out for them.

"Aye, which is why these should remain in trustworthy hands." He bypassed both men and handed the charts to me before turning back to the helm. I hid my smile and turned to the gentlemen.

"Alright, let's see what we can find with these."

With nothing else to do it was easy to spend hours finding different maps to different locations. When Tai and Will started arguing about interpretations, however, I decided we'd had enough and sent them to relax with Lizzie and the rest of the crew.

"Are you coming with us, Captain?" Tai Huang asked much to my surprise. He had started warming up to me, I believe.

"In a moment." I patted his shoulder and headed onto the deck. Barbossa hadn't stopped steering since we had gotten the boat. Only when I had forced him to go get warm did he let me take over. It had gotten significantly warm after we passed the dark waters between the two ice walls though, so he was at it again.

"Could I offer you some rest?" I asked as I approached the helm. Barbossa barely glanced over his shoulder.

"No, lass, Captain. I'm fine here." He turned back to looking forward. I crossed my arms and shrugged.

"Alright. Thank you for your dedication." I didn't leave. Instead I began to stroll around the helm until I glanced over the railing. "That is remarkable."

I was staring down into the sea but the only indication was the ripples made by the ship. The waters looked like mirrors reflecting the night sky full of millions and millions of stars.

"The sea can show you many beautiful things." Barbossa sounded comfortable in his place. Perhaps if he couldn't find solace in being captain, he'd find it in sailing.

"It's like we're floating on stars." I took a deep breath and tried to take it all in. After a moment my mind drifted and I broke our silence. "You trust me." It wasn't as much of a question as it was a statement.

"Aye."

"Why?" I turned to him, arms still crossed.

"Because you are the Captain and,"

"No, that's not it." I cut him off. "I could be captain and you would not have to trust me, or at least not show it so openly in front of the crew." He looked me over then leaned against the wheel.

"I remember you. I remember when I locked you in the brig. You spoke proper English; you didn't put up a fight when we took you. Now I'm back and you're leading these scoundrels and your voice never wavers. You're a good Captain and I respect that." He gave me an honorable nod.

"I'm a good Captain?" I tried to retain my emotions. This was coming from a pirate lord after all.

"Aye." He stood by his statement.

"Thank you." I took in a breath and turned my gaze to the sea, only to spot something in the distance. "What is that?"

"A waterfall." Barbossa answered casually. It took me a moment to gather my thoughts.

"We're going to go over a waterfall?" I felt the panic but he wasn't panicking in the slightest.

"Yes." He didn't change his tone as we began to feel the ship speed up and rock. Crewmembers began to come on deck to investigate. Lizzie and Will made it through the buzzing crowd to me.

"What is going on?" She yelled over the crowd and the sound of rushing water.

"We're going over a waterfall." I told her then turned to Barbossa. "Why?" Whether I was addressing our course or his lack of panic, I wasn't sure.

"There's no time for questions!" Will yelled before giving orders. Everyone began to run around, listening to his word.

"We're on the right course. Over the edge." Barbossa told me. I turned to the crew.

"Belay those orders gentleman and brace yourselves!" I ordered and they all looked at me incredulously.

"Aye, we're good and lost now!" Barbossa cackled.

"Lost?" Lizzie looked at me for answers I didn't have.

"For certain you have to be lost to find the places that can't be found. Else ways, everyone would know where it was." Barbossa explained to her and the rest of the crew that was listening.

"We're gaining speed!" Gibbs observed. I looked over the railing and saw the edge rushing towards us then decided to stop looking over the rail.

"Baily, we have to do something!" Will told me. I glanced at Barbossa then shook my head.

"Let her run straight and true!" Barbossa cackled again which did not help my convincing everyone they were okay.

"Will, trust me and hold on to something." I told him firmly.

"Blimey!" Ragetti yelled as everyone looked over the railing.

"If you haven't grabbed on to something do it now or face the consequences!" I shouted to the crew and they finally searched for something sturdy as the edge came upon us. We went over with only Barbossa's hearty laugh to comfort us.

The next thing I knew I was surfacing above water and gasping for air. I looked around and saw that, not only was it now daytime, but our ship was smashed to pieces.

"I see land!" Gibbs pointed our destination out to us and we began to swim. It didn't take us long before we were crawling on sand and coughing up water.

"I don't see Jack." Lizzie panted as she looked around. "I don't see anyone."

"He's here," Barbossa reassured her, "Davy Jones never once gave up what he took."

"It doesn't matter. We're trapped here by your doing, no different than Jack." Will came up behind them.

"Alright, that's enough." I turned and looked around at the crew before turning to Tai Huang. "Tai Huang,"

"Ma'am." He stood dutifully, "I need you to make sure we have everyone and note who needs a surgeon."

"Aye, Captain." That was enough of a task to keep people busy for the moment. I went up to Barbossa. "What should we do next? Unfortunately Will is correct in that we don't have a way out. That's fine for now, because we need to find Jack first anyway."

"Witty Jack is closer than you think." Tia Dalma walked over to us calmly while petting a crab.

"Well that's good, that means we can find him and then figure out how to go over the edge again." I couldn't tell if my exhaustion was making me optimistic or if it was actually a time to be optimistic. As soon as I thought that, someone shouted. We turned to see a man pointing then followed his direction.

"What in hell," I trailed off as none other than the Black Pearl made it's way over the sand dune and into the sea with none other than Jack Sparrow standing on the mast.

"Impossible." Tai Huang gaped along with everyone else.

"Improbable." I corrected him with Jack's words as a long boat was dropped in the distance and began to make its way towards us.

"Boat." Ragetti finally spluttered out.

"Slap me thrice and hand me to me mama, it's Jack!" Gibbs began to run towards the boat that was approaching the shore and everyone followed his lead. Barbossa and I just stared for a moment. This is what we both had wanted.

"We did it." I reached out my hand to Barbossa to shake.

"It's not over yet, Captain." He shook my hand regardless and made his way over. "Jack Sparrow!" I walked over and made my way through the crowd to the front where Jack was talking to Tia Dalma.

"He thinks we're a hallucination." Lizzie filled me in.

"What?" I asked but got to witness it first hand as Jack moved on to Will.

"William, tell me something. Have you come because you need my help to rescue a certain distressing damsel? Or rather a damsel in distress? Either one?" Jack asked him.

"No." Will gave Jack an annoyed look.

"Then you wouldn't be here. So you can't be here. Q.E.D. you're not really here." He explained his reasoning.

"Captain, can't you do something?" Tai Huang asked me, and Jack's eyes followed Tai's gaze to me.

"Baily?" He walked in front of me. "Captain?" He looked at me in utmost confusion.

"Yes, to both of those." I smiled softly at him. "Someone had to take over while you were in the Locker."

"The Locker you say?" He looked perplexed as he stared at me intently.

"Yes." I nodded with confusion of my own. "You don't know where you are?"

"We came to rescue you." Lizzie interrupted. Jack raised an eyebrow and turned to her.

"Have you now? That's very kind of you but seeing as I possess a ship and you don't, it seems as though you're the ones in need of rescuing and I'm not in the mood." He told her stubbornly.

"I see my ship." Barbossa corrected him. Jack made his way through the crowd dramatically and put a hand over his brow.

"Can't spot it. Must be a tiny thing hiding behind the Pearl." He shrugged.

"Focus children," I scolded them both as I walked over to Jack, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Jack, Cutler Beckett has the heart and he's controlling Jones. He's trying to take over the seas just as we feared. The song's been sung and the Brethren Court has been called. We need you." I talked slowly and calmly. He was acting as expected, like someone who'd been in Davy Jones's Locker for weeks. He nodded as he grasped my words.

"Aye Jack, the world needs you back something fierce." Gibbs came over to him.

"I leave you alone for a minute and the world's gone to pot." Jack looked at all of us, his sights lingering on me for a moment before addressing the lot of us. "Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you've tried to kill me in the past and I've never even seen half of you before." He looked around at us.

"You need a crew." Will reminded him. Jack looked around and began go through the list of people who would be allowed to sail with him on the Black Pearl. He got to Tai Huang and his men though he had yet to address me.

"Who are you?"

"Tai Huang. These are my men." He motioned to the men in armor behind him.

"Where do your allegiances lie?" He asked them as if there was room to barter. Tai Huang turned and said something to his men and they agreed on something then he turned back around.

"With the Captain." He nodded towards me. My eyebrows shot to the ceiling as Jack turned to me.

"And where does this Captain's allegiances lie?" He closed the distance between us so that we were nearly toe-to-toe.

"Well, I have a few conditions but it could be with you."

"What are those conditions?" He asked, looking down at me with a knowing smirk.

"Well, I can't sail without my whole crew." I motioned to the crewmembers he left out.

"What else?" He crossed his arms.

"We must discuss the rum once we have a heading." I told him in a lower voice and he nodded.

"Of course."

"That's it." I told him. "Do we have an accord?" I held out my hand and he shook it gently.

"We have an accord." He nodded.

"Good." We were still grasping each other's hands when I realized that the crew was waiting on us, thus staring at us. I pulled my hand away and turned to the crew.

"Weigh anchor! All hands prepare to make sail!" I ordered them and Gibbs repeated it as he rallied everyone up.

It took a trip or two to get everyone on the ship but I was grateful when we did. Unfortunately we had a new problem, Jack and Barbossa in the same vicinity as I looked on from the helm.

"Trim that sail!" Barbossa walked around shouting orders.

"Trim that sail!" Jack walked around echoing the orders that Barbossa was shouting. Finally Barbossa turned around.

"What are you doing?" He asked Jack who echoed that too. I decided this was a good time to hand the wheel to a sailor.

"What are _you_ doing?" Jack turned to Barbossa as well. "The captain should be giving orders."

"Then why isn't she?" I descended the stairs to the two men. They both looked at me in surprise. "I believe it is my crew you're trying to boss around, is it not?" I looked between them.

"It is." Jack cleared his throat.

"Is it not?" I looked to Barbossa.

"It is." He nodded.

"Slack windward brace and sheets! Haul the pallet line!" I ordered the crew then turned to Barbossa. "Barbossa would you be so kind as to take the helm."

"Aye." He gave Jack a smug look before going to the wheel.

"Baily,"

"I need to speak with you about the rum." I interrupted him. I walked past him and went to the rum closet. I didn't have to look behind me to know that he was following. When we were both in the enclosed space, I immediately wrapped Jack in an embrace that he returned tightly. I could feel the tears coming to my eyes. "I have missed you so terribly." We stayed that way until he pulled back just enough to look down at me.

"I never realized how much I loved you until you weren't there anymore." He ran the back of his hand over my cheek, wiping away my tears along the way. "I needed the sound of your voice, the way you look when you're cross with me, those trifling things. I needed to have those things but I didn't have you and it nearly killed me." He cupped my cheek and kissed me.

"I practically emptied the ocean looking for you." I told him quietly when we parted. "Because I needed you to call me 'luv' and to check that silly compass much too frequently. But you weren't here and it nearly killed me." I used his words and he pressed his lips on mine once again before straightening up.

"We're here now. I want to hear everything starting with where your bloody hair went." He lifted me up onto a crate.

"Oh, I just wanted something different. You know, something to make me feel more like a pirate." I played with the ends of it. "Do you hate it?" I braced myself.

"Absolutely not. You look gorgeous, luv." He ran his fingers through it.

"Thank you, Captain." I could feel myself blush. After all of this time he still made me blush.

"Shouldn't I be calling you that? Captain?"

"Would you like your title back?" I asked him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"No, I believe you've earned it. Not to mention that I don't think you're crew would agree." He reminded me of Tai Huang. "You're quite the leader."

"I'm not as clever as you though. Not yet anyway." I smirked at him.

"You're already there. I knew that even before I left." He praised. "You never seize to amaze me." He shook his head at me whilst looking at me intently.

"I must admit that I amaze myself sometimes." I agreed, his gaze never faltered. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"How would you feel about a union?"

"A union?" My confusion was clearly written on my face.

"Aye. Between you and I." He nodded. It took me a moment to understand.

"You mean a wedding?" I asked for clarification, which he provided with another nod. "You're asking me to,"

"To be my wife." He finished for me. There were so many things I wanted to say but I decided on,

"One condition."

"You and your conditions." He kissed me briefly. "Anything, luv."

"Never put yourself in danger for a ship again." I looked him in the eye. "You are not replaceable to me."

"I can agree to that." He nodded. "Do we have an accord?"

"Yes, we have an accord." I chuckled as he picked me up in a hug.

It wasn't quite as I imagined it when I was a little girl, but I was ecstatic nonetheless.

**It's once again been awhile. Hopefully I'll be able to post more over the break. **


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